


Aia ke ola i Motunui

by asteriae



Series: He ma`i pi`i ali`i ke aloha [1]
Category: Moana (2016)
Genre: Angst, Demigods, Destiny, F/M, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Immortality, Maui (Disney) is Bad at Feelings, Miscommunication, Older Moana Waialiki, Polynesian Culture, Romance, hooked wayfinder, polynesian myths, this author has a lot of feelings about immortal beings and their spunky mortal sidekicks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-12
Updated: 2017-07-30
Packaged: 2018-12-01 10:55:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 25,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11484903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asteriae/pseuds/asteriae
Summary: The trouble with saving the world and returning home a hero with a demigod by your side, is it really scares off potential suitors.After restoring Te Fiti, sailing across the ocean and battling monsters, Moana tries to return to Motunui and live an ordinary life, but can she ever feel ordinary again?





	1. 'Au i ke kai loa

The trouble with saving the world and returning home a hero with a demigod by your side, is it really scares off potential suitors. 

Her parents had spent months cultivating a careful list of candidates before she’d sailed beyond the reef, only for every single man on the island to become suddenly disinterested upon her return. 

Actually, no, she thought crossly. It wasn’t that they weren’t interested. She still noticed the way they looked at her as she walked by, and the way many of them lingered longer and closer than necessary when discussing the harvest or construction of new canoes. 

They were intimidated, plain and simple. As the daughter of the chief, she had already been an intimidating prize to be won in the eyes of the men of the village. Now, she was Moana of Motunui, master Wayfinder, who had sailed across the sea, found the demigod Maui, and forced him to restore the heart of Te Fiti, battling monsters along the way. 

No one thought of her as a prize any more. 

For the most part, she was pleased- glad that she had proven herself to be more than just the daughter of the chief, proud that she was leading her people back to the sea. 

But there was a small, treacherous voice in the back of her mind, that whispered during lonely nights, that it would be nice to be wanted. To have someone to share in her victories, to adventure with during the day and curl up with at night. 

Of course, the arms that wrapped around her in her imagination were large, muscular and covered in distinctive tattoos; but that was neither here nor there. 

She sat in the shallows of the latest island they’d landed on. This was the fourth they’d discovered in the time since she’d returned from her adventure, and it was the largest so far. 

A little way inland her people were abuzz with excitement, with the possibilities this new island housed. They built fires, shelters and collected water from a nearby stream, but Moana didn’t join them. 

She remained sat in the shallows until the tide retreated, and she was left behind, the surf tickling at her toes. 

It had been almost three full moons since she’d last seen Maui- the great demigod had refused to reveal himself to the other villagers, for reasons that Moana had decided it best not to delve into. He’d made himself useful though, felling trees to build huts and making repairs to several of the canoes all in the dead of night. 

He’d been called away urgently by the Gods and he’d barely had time to wake her up to say ‘see you around, Curly’, before he’d transformed into a giant hawk and was flying away until he was no more than a speck on the horizon. 

She wasn’t exactly sure how the Gods summoned him when they needed him- celestial carrier pigeon perhaps? Regardless, she wished he would send one her way so she knew he was safe. Instead, she was left to wonder if Tametoa had finally bested her friend, or if Maui had managed to get on the wrong side of a sand monster or something. 

It wouldn’t surprise her. 

‘Moana, would you like some dinner?’ a voice called from a little way up the beach, ‘There’s plenty of poke left’. 

Moana stood at last, calling her thanks out to Kala, who disappeared back towards the camp with promises to save her a place at the fire. Her back and knees cracked loudly as she stretched, her muscles aching from inactivity after so many days sailing. 

She glanced back towards the horizon, before jogging back up the beach, wondering idly if Akamu had left any of the poi for once.

**

He didn’t want to stay away so long. The moon itself seemed to be mocking him as he spent another night alone, with only his hook and the ocean for company. 

Maui was eager, overeager really, to get back to Moana and her village. Exploring islands with her and teaching her people to sail was the most fun he’d had in over a thousand years. 

However, while the Gods had trapped him on that forsaken island, they hadn’t stopped making a list of all the issues that they needed him to deal with. So, instead of having adventures with his friend, he was stuck sleeping on a pile of rocks while he waited for yet another monster to arise from the deep and need slaying. 

It was wildly unfair, really. 

By the time the evil had been vanquished, the day saved and he’d finally been able to sleep on a bed not made of boulders, he hadn’t seen Moana in nearly six months. He couldn’t quite remember whether that was a long time or not, for a mortal; but he decided it didn’t matter, as he flew towards Motunui as fast as his wings would carry him. Mortals lives were so fleeting- one minute he could be teaching the curly haired kid to sail, and the next he’d be watching her grandchildren bury her. 

He shook his feathered head violently to clear it of that thought. 

He landed on Motunui near sunset, the blazing sun disappearing beyond the horizon, casting a red glow over the village. The place was eerily quiet, only a few children running around playing some kind of game. Maui followed his nose up the hill towards the village and transformed quickly into a beetle as he got close enough to realise all of the adults were in some kind of meeting. 

He crept forward, not wanting to disturb what seemed to be an important gathering, and nearly fell off his perch when he caught sight of Moana. 

Had he really only been gone six months? She was taller, certainly, but there was something else about her too. Snaking down her legs from the hem of her lava lava were the malus that signified her position in the village, and as she turned slightly to face her father Maui caught a glimpse of further tattoos on her back. She was holding herself differently, the muscles of her arms, legs, and shoulders more pronounced from months of sailing, and her posture exuding confidence. 

On closer inspection, however, Maui noticed that she didn’t look very confident at all, her hands tugging nervously on the hem of her clothes. It was only then he took in what the chief was saying; 

‘I have asked you all here this evening to announce that any men wishing to put their name forward to officially court Moana may do so. Our tradition dictates that Moana will choose her own husband, but we must insist that any man wishing to court her must first approach me, to ask for my blessing’. 

Maui nearly forgot how to breathe. They were marrying her off?! She was just a kid! She wasn’t ready for that. Never mind her, _Maui_ wasn’t ready for her to get married. 

There wouldn’t be any wayfinding with her once she was married. That canoe of hers barely had room for the two of them, never mind adding a husband into the mix. 

And if she was getting married, surely children would follow soon? Pregnant women shouldn’t be sailing a canoe- it was too dangerous. 

While Maui was spiraling into a minor panic attack, Tui was still speaking, droning on about the rules of courtship, and the process for Moana to chose her husband. 

‘Once you have received our blessing, you are free to court Moana- however, she will be chaperoned at all times while the courting is going on’. 

Maui noted that Moana looked particularly disgruntled at this announcement. 

The meeting wrapped up quickly after that, and Moana was stopped from leaving by her mother, who held her arm and told her to wait a moment. Curious, Maui flew inside the hale and settled himself on a tapa draped over a beam. 

‘Do you have any particular men in mind?’ Sina asked gently once she was certain all the villagers were out of earshot, ‘I know you’ve been spending a lot of time with Haoa lately’.

Moana snorted indelicately, ‘Only because he keeps pretending he doesn’t know how to sail properly. He’s been insisting that a few lessons with me alone will be enough to make him a master Wayfinder’. 

Sina hummed noncommittally, giving her daughter a scrutinizing look, ‘And none of the others have drawn your attention?’ 

‘No’ Moana said stubbornly, ‘But I know I must marry, there are many men in the village to choose from’. 

Maui couldn’t help but notice she said the last part with a sigh. 

With a wry smile Sina took hold of her daughter’s hand, ‘The right man will show himself eventually, but for now, let me walk you home’. 

‘You’re not telling me I really have to be chaperoned at all times are you?’ Moana asked, looking horrified, ‘From now on?!’ 

Sina gave her daughter an apologetic look, leading her away from Maui’s perch, ‘Sorry, but yes. From today you must always be accompanied by an elder’. 

As they left the hale Maui could only just make out the sounds of Moana’s indignant spluttering. 

He sat for a long while on the tapa, contemplating how he could help his friend out of this predicament. She had to marry eventually, he knew that. She was the only daughter of the chief, and humans were awfully uptight about the offspring of their rulers. 

He knew he was being selfish, but he flew straight to Moana’s home and snuck in just as Sina left. Then, as Moana’s back was turned, he transformed back into himself. 

‘What’s up, kid?’ 

Her scream just about deafened him, and the way she immediately threw her arms around his neck didn’t help either. 

He just chuckled as he wound his arms around her, trying not to note the way she felt so different against him now. She was so much taller, she barely had to tiptoe at all to hug him. 

‘Miss me?’ he asked with a wink as she released him, not anticipating the punches she immediately threw at his stomach. 

‘You’ve. Been. Gone. Months’ she hissed, punctuating each word with a blow to his stomach, ‘I thought you’d _died_ ’. 

‘I didn’t mean to- ow- the Gods said- urgh- _Really_ Mo can you please stop?’ 

She stopped smacking him, stepping away to scowl at him instead. 

‘I’m _sorry_ ’ he said honestly, ‘I really didn’t want to stay away so long’. 

Maybe she saw the sincerity in his eyes, because he saw the scowl melting away into a smile, her eyes lighting up as she looked him up and down. 

‘You got new tattoos’ she commented, gesturing towards his left arm, ‘So I guess there’s a good reason for being gone for so long’. 

Maui groaned and dropped himself into a chair by the door, ‘Mo, you have no idea. The gods don’t seem to think that being trapped on an island for a thousand years is a good enough excuse to have been slacking in your demi-god duties’. 

She snorted at him, settling herself down on her sleeping mats to listen to his story, twisting her hair up and pinning it on the top of her head. 

Maui’s eyes traveled over the expanse of shoulder and neck the motion revealed, before rapidly shaking his head and launching into the tale of his latest adventure, finishing by letting Moana get up close and personal with his newest tattoo. 

She was sniggering as mini-Maui was trampled by a giant kakamora- which was _not_ how it actually happened- when she recoiled in surprise. 

‘Oh! Mini-Moana moved!’ she exclaimed, her eyebrows shooting up into her hairline. 

Maui ran a hand through his hair in an embarrassed manner, ‘Yeah, she’s been doing that lots lately, I think this one has been giving her lessons’ he jerked a thumb at mini-Maui, who was now high-fiving mini-Moana. 

‘Thats- that’s _really_ cool’ Moana gushed, grinning up at him, ‘Mini-Moana is a badass’. 

‘Yeah yeah’ Maui replied, feeling a little uncomfortable all of a sudden, ‘She’s just as annoying as you are’. 

Moana just stuck her tongue out at him.

‘So’ Maui began casually, ‘Anything new with you?’ 

She hesitated for just a fraction too long, before shrugging and saying, ‘No, nothing’ without meeting his eye. 

‘No new islands?’ 

‘Oh, yes, one’. Moana said with a smile, ‘It’s the first we’ve found that could sustain a village, several canoes are on their way there now with new settlers’. 

‘That’s great Mo’ Maui said softly, and she blushed. 

‘People seem to have gotten the feel for wayfinding now, many of them even enjoy it, I think’. 

‘You’ll be running out of islands and asking me to pull up new ones for you before you know it’ he grinned at her. 

She smiled up at him, the corners of her eyes crinkling, before letting out a jaw-cracking yawn. 

‘Bedtime for mortals I think’ Maui sniggered, trying to repress a yawn of his own. He had flown halfway across the ocean today thank you _very_ much. 

‘You can sleep here if you like’ Moana said, settling down on her sleeping mat. Maui had a moment of sheer insanity where he considered lying down next to her, curling his arms around her and falling asleep like that, before biting his tongue and transforming quickly into a hawk. 

‘Night Mo’ he said affectionately as he got comfy in a spot in the corner, but she was already snoring softly.

***

It was the longest he’d ever stayed. At first, Moana lived in constant anxiety that someone would discover she was harboring a demigod in her home, but as the days stretched into weeks and Maui stayed inconspicuously disguised as a chameleon, she started to relax. 

Of course, relaxing is the fastest way to make sure everything around you goes to hell. 

‘Eight of our canoes were damaged in the crossing to Motui'a last month’ one of the village elders told her one morning, ‘and the villagers there have been struck down by some kind of flu- they need more supplies and helpers while they are unable to fish for themselves’. 

Moana frowned, ‘This sickness- is it serious?’ 

The elder shrugged, ‘I wouldn’t advise sending anyone who is already feeble, but there haven’t been any deaths so far’. 

Moana didn’t find that particularly comforting, from his perch on her shoulder Maui sniffed, suggesting he found it suspicious too. 

‘I’ll think about who to send’ she said eventually, ‘Thank you for bringing this to my attention’. 

The older man inclined his head respectfully, and Moana left the beach, walking straight through the busy village and beginning the trek up to the peak of the mountain. It was becoming her favourite spot on the whole of Motunui, most people wouldn’t spend the time trekking all the way to the top, when there were so many other secluded spots on the island. 

No one ever disturbed her up here. Well, she thought, as Maui transformed into his usual self and immediately sprawled out in the sun; no one from the village, anyway. 

‘What are you thinking?’ He asked, plucking a large leaf from a nearby tree and fanning himself with it, ‘Are you going to send more canoes?’ 

‘It’s risky’ she said, biting her lip, ‘If the illness is worse than Nohea thinks, then I could be putting both islands at risk’. 

‘Or it could just be a bad case of the sniffles’ Maui pointed out, ‘Lots of men on that new island of yours I’m guessing?’.

Moana nodded slowly, ‘We only sent the healthiest villages and the most accomplished sailors. There weren’t any women to volunteer’. 

Maui shrugged, ‘So maybe it’s not that serious, just a stomach bug from some new type of fish or something’. 

‘Maybe’ Moana said, lost in thought. Her gut was telling her that something was wrong, and if Tala taught her anything, it was to listen to that feeling. 

‘I think we should go’ she said eventually, and Maui stopped fanning himself for long enough to raise his eyebrows at her. 

‘You think we should what now?’ he said flatly. 

‘Go to Motui'a’ she said, more confident now, ‘It’s a week’s sail at most, and that way we aren’t putting any more people at risk’. 

‘And what if we get there and you immediately get sick?’ 

‘Then you can gather supplies for us while we get better and if the illness turns out to be serious you can fly back here and tell my father’. 

Maui sat up now, looking increasingly incredulous, ‘What you’re saying here is; “Let’s go to the infected island, and if I die, you can tell everyone else not to follow”!’. 

Moana shifted uncomfortably for a moment, ‘Essentially, yes’.

‘That’s moronic’. 

‘It’s the best course of action’ she insisted, pacing backwards and forwards, ringing her hands, ‘You can’t get sick, so the only person at risk is me’. 

‘And what will Motunui do if it’s chief-in-training drops dead?’ 

‘It’s just Chief now, actually, since my father stepped down’ she said in an offhand sort of way. 

There was a beat of silence, ‘That’s not helping your case here kid’. 

‘Not a kid’

‘Not helping your case here, not-a-kid’. 

She glared at him. 

They stared intently at each other for a few moments before he threw his hands up in surrender, ‘Fine! But I swear if we sail all that way just for some mortal men with the sniffles I’ll make sure you have nothing but old coconut to eat for a month’. 

She smiled triumphantly, ‘I’ll let my parents know where I’m going and pack some food and water. You can pack the tools we’ll need to repair the canoes once we get there’. 

She turned on her heel and began her descent down to the village, not needing to look back to know he was rolling his eyes at her. 

As she started to pack baskets with the supplies they would need she heard voices coming towards her- voices she recognised. She quickly dashed behind a shelf, hoping they wouldn’t see her in there. 

‘I think I’m going to go for it’ Kaleo was saying to his sister as they entered the hut, ‘I think I’m going to ask to court her’. 

‘And you think she’ll choose you?’ Kalua answered skeptically, refilling some of the baskets Moana had so recently emptied. 

‘I don’t know’ he said, ‘But I’ve got as good a chance as anyone else on Motunui, I’ve known her since we were babies’. 

‘It’s a small island’ Kalua said, and Moana could practically hear her roll her eyes, ‘Everyone has known everyone their whole lives’. 

‘Well we’re the same age’ Kaleo went on, as if his sister hadn’t spoken, ‘And why shouldn't she choose me? I’m easily the best sailor left on the island now, I only didn’t go to Motui'a because I was needed here’. 

‘Yes, of course’ Kalua said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, ‘You needed to stay here and look after our mother and it had nothing to do with the fact you’re afraid of sleeping on a canoe’. 

‘Kaluaaaaa’ Kaleo whined in an undignified manner, ‘I told you that in confidence!’ 

The younger girl laughed, ‘Whatever, I’m not going to tell anyone’. 

Moana cringed back against a shelf as the siblings continued their task, gossiping and bickering in turn. She could admit that Kaleo was one of the nicer men on the island, but she’d known him since they were children- he was more like a cousin to her than anything. 

Her eyes widened in panic as Kalua rounded a corner with a basket balanced on her hip, and immediately spotted Moana. The girls stared at each other for a moment, Moana’s eyes pleading, Kalua’s almost pitying. 

‘Have you heard of any other men who are going to court Moana?’ Kalua called casually to her brother, throwing Moana a scheming look as she busied herself putting away more of the harvest. 

‘Ka’eo and Anuhea are definitely considering it’ he replied, ‘And Pika wouldn’t tell us either way, which makes me think he probably will, but wants to keep it quiet’. 

Kalua made a noncommittal noise, continuing with her task. 

‘Why?’ Kaleo asked suspiciously, ‘You don’t think I can beat off the competition?’ 

Kalua snorted, rolling her eyes in Moana’s direction, ‘Of course you can, I was just interested, that’s all’. 

‘Most of the men on the island don’t want to court her because of Maui’ Kaleo said, his voice muffled, like he was probably reaching into the barrels which stored water, ‘She’s supposed to have been blessed by a demigod, but I don’t believe it’. 

Moana bit her tongue, hard. 

‘If she really met Maui on her adventures, why didn’t she bring him back with her?’ he said with a derisive snort, ‘I think she just wanted to sound impressive. Not that what she did wasn’t impressive’ he added quickly as Moana made an outraged noise which he’d clearly assumed was Kalua. 

The younger girl glared at her chief, who looked as apologetic as she could while still cowering against a shelf and clutching a basket of supplies. 

Kaleo was still talking, totally oblivious to the fact no one was paying him any attention anymore, ‘And I mean Te Fiti becoming Te Ka? It’s too farfetched. I know the harvest was bad for a while but I don’t think the whole island was actually dying-’ 

Kalua smacked her hand to her forehead as her brother continued to speak, dropping in Moana’s estimation with every word uttered. 

‘Are you done?’ Kalua called finally, as she put the last of her basket away, ‘Because I’m starving’. She threw an apologetic look over her shoulder as she made her way back to her brothers’ side, and Moana felt a rush of affection for the younger girl. She’d been the first woman to hop on a canoe and ask to be taught once Moana returned, and they’d spent a lot of time together during their lessons. 

Finally, the siblings left the hut and Moana ran as fast as her feet would carry her to her parents home. 

They were sat at their table, in a serious discussion by the looks of it, and Moana had a moment to regret bringing the basket of supplies with her before her mother spoke. 

‘And where do you think you’re going?’ Sina demanded, ‘You can’t run away five minutes after we announce you’re to be courted’. 

‘It’s not that’ Moana said hastily, dropping the basket inside the doorway, ‘I’m going to Motui'a’. 

‘Why?’ Her father said suspiciously. 

‘There are canoes there that need to be repaired, and Nohea returned this morning and he says there is a sickness there, many of the men are unable to work’. 

‘So we should sent a dozen men!’ her father exclaimed, ‘You can’t help on your own’. 

‘I won’t be on my own’ Moana said, ‘Maui is coming too’. 

She tried not to read too much into the looks her parents gave each other. 

‘We could send a whole fleet only to find that the sickness is dangerous and then we’ll have lost half our workforce to it’ She said, ‘I’ll go alone, help where I can, and assess whether this sickness is something we need to be concerned about’. 

‘But-’ her mother started. 

‘I’m going’ Moana said firmly, ‘You trusted me with the chiefdom nearly six months ago now- you need to trust me now’. 

Her father frowned, ‘If you haven’t returned in a month we’ll send someone else’. 

Sina scowled at him, ‘You’re just going to let her go? After we were just discussing-?’

‘She is chief’ Tui interrupted her firmly, ‘and we can discuss it further once she returns’.

Moana hugged them both quickly, ‘I’ll be back within a month, or will send word if I can’t return in that time’. 

She picked up her basket and hurried down to the water’s edge, where Maui was perched on the end of her canoe in his chameleon form as there were still several fishermen hauling in the day’s catch. 

She loaded the canoe and got ready to set sail, her heart soaring as they sailed beyond the reef and towards a new adventure.

***  
He’d forgotten exactly how easy it was to relax in her company when they were out at sea. On the island they had to be constantly vigilant in case someone happened upon him in human form; it meant their conversations were short, stilted, and whispered in the dead of night. 

But out on the open ocean Moana visibly relaxed, her shoulders softening, her smile becoming more genuine. It was hard not to get swept up in her contagious excitement, as she tied knots and felt for currents with a practiced ease like she’d been doing it for years. 

Which, he realised with a pang, she probably had. He didn’t know quite how long it had been since their last adventure, and he’d never been good at estimating mortal ages. Also, he didn’t want to ask her how old she was now for fear of being on the receiving end of the oar again; mortal women seemed to be quite touchy about the subject. 

‘We’re making good time’ Moana noted one evening, several days into their journey, ‘We should be there in another two days’. 

‘And what’s the game plan exactly?’ he asked, dropping down cross-legged to rummage through their stash of food, ‘Just moor up at the island, ask how everyone is doing, and hope you don’t die?’ 

‘You’re being overly dramatic’ she said with a roll of her eyes, ‘I’m sure the illness isn’t serious’. 

‘And if it is? You want me to go and tell your parents?’ 

Moana hesitated for just a moment, ‘Yes’. 

‘You hesitated’ he said accusingly, ‘Why?’ 

‘It’s nothing’ she said with a falsely casual air, turning to adjust the sail. 

‘You’re a terrible liar’ he replied flatly. 

She heaved a long suffering sigh and sat down next to him; ‘They don’t believe you’re real’. 

Whatever he’d been expecting, it wasn’t that. 

His surprise clearly showed on his face as she hastened to explain; ‘You were trapped on that island for a thousand years. You became a legend, and now most people think of you as a myth’. 

‘But you told them-’ 

‘Some of them believe me’ Moana interrupted, ‘But I was always an imaginative kid, running off to the ocean instead of listening to the kumu... and so when I returned with a fantastic tale about meeting Maui and restoring the heart of Te Fiti-’

‘Not everyone believed you’ Maui finished softly. 

‘At first I thought they were intimidated by me’ she said quietly, ‘some of the people I’d known since I was a child started avoiding me and now I realise it’s because they think I made it all up’. 

‘And your parents?’ 

‘I’m not sure if they believe me or not’ she admitted, ‘But if they don’t, and the illness turns out to be serious, they’ll be in for a shock’. 

He snorted as he imagined the look on Sina and Tui’s faces if he suddenly appeared in the middle of the village, fish hook and all. 

It hadn’t occurred to him that the villagers might not believe in him anymore. It certainly hadn’t occurred to him that Moana might be struggling because of it. She could have asked him to reveal himself to the villagers at any time to make her life easier, but she hadn’t. 

He opened his mouth to ask her why, but the words died on his lips. The setting sun was casting a fiery glow over the water and her face as she concentrated on steering, her hair was a tangled mess and there were patches of dried salt clinging to her skin. And he realised, that she hadn’t asked him because she cared about him. 

He couldn’t remember the last time someone cared about him, not like she did. She knew he had his reasons for keeping his return a secret, and she respected them without even knowing what they were. 

She cared and he loved her for it; but she was mortal and her time would be so, so fleeting. Before he knew it she’d have chosen a suitor, and then a husband. She’d have children and grandchildren and be passing into the next life before he even registered the time passing, and while that thought made his heart ache- it also made him determined. She swore quietly under her breath as two of the lines got tangled, pulling him out of his thoughts. 

No matter what, he knew in that moment that he’d do everything in his power, to not miss a moment of her life. 

**

Something seemed _off_ from the moment they set foot on Motui'a. The whole island seemed to have a hush over it, the sound of sand crunching under their feet as they made their way to the village the only noise. 

Moana hadn’t been to the island in months- once they’d established the village she’d returned to Motunui with her parents, leaving some of her father’s favored advisors to run Motui'a. The island was unchanged in many ways, but the village had grown in the months since, although many huts appeared to be half finished. 

There were only a few men milling about, and she couldn’t help but notice many of them had angry red sores on their faces and arms. No one seemed to take much notice of Moana as she headed towards the centre of the village, hoping she would find Hani or Likeke there. 

Maui curled his tail around a lock of her hair, reminding her of his presence. He’d turned back into a chameleon as soon as the island had been in sight, and as much as it pained her to admit it, she found it pretty lonely without his constant chattering. 

They found Hani quickly, he was delegating tasks to the few villagers who looked well enough, and upon spotting Moana he grinned in delight. 

‘Chief!’ he called, beckoning her over, ‘You have come to assist with the repairs?’ 

Moana smiled as she accepted his embrace. He had been her father’s best friend for many years, and hugging him made her feel like a small child again. 

‘I’m afraid it’s just me’ she said with an apologetic smile, ‘I heard there was a sickness here, and I couldn’t risk bringing more men’. 

Hani’s face turned grave, ‘Yes I’m afraid you heard correctly, many of the men are too ill to work’. 

‘They haven’t recovered?’ 

‘Not yet- we’ve tried all we know. And those who weren’t struck down by the sickness have become covered in sores, and are unable to fish as the sea water burns them’’ he shook his head sorrowfully, ‘I can only assume we have angered the gods somehow’. 

From her shoulder, Moana swore she heard Maui snort derisively. 

‘Perhaps you can assist with the gathering of herbs this evening?’ Hani continued, ‘Maybe a woman’s touch is what the afflicted need’. 

She winced slightly as Maui suddenly dug his claws into her shoulder, but she smothered it with a cough and said ‘Of course. Do you want to show me to the canoes that need repairing?’

Her face fell as Hani showed her the damage, which was considerably more extensive than she’d been led to believe. As soon as Hani was out of sight Maui transformed back to his usual self.

‘They managed to sail here on these?!’ he asked, kicking a broken oar across the sand.

‘It’s a miracle they made it’ Moana murmured, running a hand over a deep crack in the hull of one of the larger boats, ‘Must have been an incredible storm’. 

‘Between the storm and the sickness Princess, I’m starting to think you aren’t meant to be on this island’ Maui said casually, before freezing, as if he was suddenly realising what he’d said. 

‘Maui-?’ she said uncertainly, as he stood stock still, his mouth still moving but no words coming out. 

‘I think that’s it’ he said eventually, ‘I think there is someone who doesn’t want you settling on this island’. 

‘You mean Hani was right? That we’ve angered the Gods?’ Moana asked, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. 

Maui waved one large hand, ‘Nah, I think just one’. 

***

If you’d told Maui a few years ago that he’d be sitting waist deep in the ocean with a mortal at his side, in the hopes of luring Kaihuopala'ai to them to ask her nicely to stop harassing some mortal men, he’d have suggested you lay off the sea water. 

Yet here they were. 

‘You really think it’s her?’ Moana asked, still looking very upset at the idea they might have angered a god. 

‘I know her tactics Curly’ Maui said confidently, ‘She’s not a big fan of men, and you had the poor judgment to send thirty of them to her island’. 

‘ _Her_ island?’ Moana exclaimed, ‘Could you not have mentioned _that_ a bit sooner?’ 

He gave an exaggerated roll of his eyes, ‘Why did you call this island Motui'a, Princess?’ 

‘Because of all the-’ Moana answered at once. 

‘-fish’ they said together, and a look of understanding dawned in Moana’s eyes. 

‘This is her island’ she said quietly, looking troubled, ‘I’m going to apologise to her, we can move along, find somewhere new’. 

‘No way!’ Maui exclaimed, ‘This is a perfect island for mortals, she’s just being selfish’.

Moana gaped at him, clearly horrified that he was talking about a goddess in such a way. 

‘Look, kid, Kaihuopala'ai is usually pretty reasonable; once she meets you she’ll probably be all for you inhabiting the island’. 

She didn’t look particularly reassured. 

Night fell around them, and the tide steadily rose. He saw Moana shivering out of the corner of his eye once, but she didn’t complain. 

Eventually, the tide reached its highest point, until the two of them were almost fully submerged in the water, and the fish were so accustomed to their presence that they swam quite happily around them. 

Moana seemed quite content to let Maui take the lead, so she sat silently as he studied the water intently, looking for one particular fish. 

He couldn’t be sure how much time had passed before he saw a glint of gold in the corner of his eye, but Moana had been yawning with an increasing frequency for some time, so it was clearly very late. 

Once he was sure that the glimmering scales darting around his feet belonged to Kaihuopala'ai, he grabbed his fishhook and transformed at once into a pelican, scooping her up into his beak before she had a chance to swim away. He flew up the beach, depositing the thrashing and very angry goddess on the sand, leaving her no choice but to transform into a human. 

‘That was incredibly rude’ she said, standing gracefully as Moana came panting up the beach behind them. 

‘So is poisoning the men on this island’ Maui pointed out, cutting right to the chase. 

‘You’re here to fight their battles for them again, is that it?’ she smirked, tossing her glittering hair over her shoulder, ‘I seem to recall you getting banished the last time you tried to do something nice for them’. 

Maui huffed; he’d rather hoped she hadn’t heard about that. 

‘Kaihuopala'ai’ Moana gasped, bowing respectfully as she tried to catch her breath, ‘I am-’ 

‘Moana of Motunui, chosen one of the ocean, restored the heart of Te Fiti. Mortal who thinks herself important’ the Goddess finished in a flat monotone, ‘Is this why I’m here?’ she asked Maui, turning her back on Moana, ‘You wanted to show me off to your pet?’ 

But Moana was not to be ignored, ‘I was going to say that I am incredibly honored to meet you, had you let me finish my sentence’. 

Maui practically choked on his tongue. Perhaps he should have warned her that Kaihuopala'ai didn’t take kindly to mortals sassing her. 

‘You dare speak to me this way-?’ 

‘Yes, I dare’ Moana said fiercely, apparently no longer awestruck over the goddess, ‘I wanted to speak to you _peacefully_ regarding your treatment of my villagers, and I will not stand here and be referred to as a pet!’

Maui decided now was as good a time as any to start edging away from the two women who were starting to look like they might come to blows any minute. 

‘I will speak to you any way I please, _mortal_ ’ Kaihuopala'ai replied with a sickening emphasis on the last word, her blue-tinged lips twisting into an unpleasant grin. 

Moana practically growled, ‘I am chief of this village, and I demand you restore my villagers to health- they have done nothing to you!’ 

The goddess laughing derisively, ‘Nothing?! You call the damage they have wreaked on this island nothing?!’ 

‘What damage?’ Moana demanded.

‘The fish!’ Kaihuopala'ai practically shrieked, gesturing a wild hand towards the ocean, ‘My friends, my family!’. 

Moana’s eyes widened slightly and she opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by the Goddess, who was getting louder and louder; 

‘My beautiful fish are only for the worthy, and yet your men catch and eat them without a second thought. They have not earned the _right_!’ 

‘We eat the fish back on Motunui and you’ve never felt the need to poison anyone’ Moana said waspishly, clearly not backing down. 

‘The 'anae on this island are special’ the Goddess scowled, ‘I have nurtured them, they are not to be eaten by regular, mortal men’. 

‘There is nothing wrong with being mortal!’ Moana said crossly, ‘They settled here and I’m very sorry that they ate your fish, but poisoning them wasn’t the answer!’ 

Maui inclined his head in agreement, while still backing steadily away, determined to put at least 20 feet between them before the two scariest women he’d ever met decided their words weren’t enough. 

‘Maui you coward’ Kaihuopala'ai hissed, and with a flick of her wrist, Maui found himself standing next to her again. 

‘Huh’ he said, scratching his head, ‘Neat trick’. 

‘Don’t you dare let your mortal speak to me this way’ she demanded, pointing one of her slightly scaled fingers at him, ‘Control her!’ 

The noise Moana made sounded alarmingly like the noise Hei-Hei made when he was set on fire. 

Maui had all of about three seconds warning before Kaihuopala'ai was sprawled in the sand, spluttering indignantly as Moana stood over her, holding her oar threateningly. 

‘I told you I will not be called a pet!’ 

‘You dare-’ Kaihuopala'ai repeated, before Moana cut her off with a quick jab of the oar. 

‘Yes I dare’ she said firmly, ‘You will remove the sickness from this island, and the sores, and you will repair the damage you inflicted on our boats’. 

‘I’ll do no such thing’ the Goddess said indignantly, getting to her feet and brushing the sand from her shimmering skin. 

Moana immediately moved to jab her with the oar again, but Kaihuopala'ai anticipated it this time, and calmly sidestepped the blow, before grabbing the oar and throwing it down the beach. 

Disarmed, Moana looked so much smaller, and for a moment, Maui caught a glimpse of the young girl she’d been when they first met. 

Caught in his moment of nostalgia, he wasn’t quite a quick as he should have been when Kaihuopala'ai threw her arms out, and Moana promptly followed her oar down the beach, landing with a sickening thump next to one of the smaller canoes. 

Leaping into action he swung his hook at the Goddess, not caring suddenly that he was definitely no match for her, and that she had the power to crush him with her little finger. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Moana stir, immediately reaching for the oar again. He prayed silently that just this once, she might take cover and let him handle it. 

Kaihuopala'ai clearly wasn’t expected Maui to make such a brazen move, and one swing of his hook threw her back into the sea, where she surfaced, spluttering and turning steadily more red with anger. 

‘Princess just stay back!’ Maui called towards the stubborn mortal who was now sprinting towards the ocean, ‘Don’t-’ 

But it was too late. He might as well have been yelling at Hei-Hei. 

She launched herself into the sea, right into Kaihuopala'ai’s territory, and pointed the oar at her again. 

‘Remove the sickness from my people’ she demanded again, and the goddess simply rose one eyebrow before waving a hand and transforming back into a fish, making a bid for freedom. 

‘Well it’s no good, we’ll never find her now-’ Maui called soothingly to her, making his way down to the shore, ‘I’d forgotten about that temper of hers though-’ 

‘Ocean?’ Moana said quietly, seemingly ignoring Maui entirely, ‘Can you bring her to me?’ 

She was trailing her fingers through the surface of the water, disturbing the moonlight glinting there. Now that Kaihuopala'ai was gone, Maui noticed how still and silent the night was, barely a breeze ruffling the trees that bordered the beach. 

For a long time nothing happened, and Maui was about to turn and head back up to the village for a nap, when the ocean began to ripple around Moana. She was waist deep in the water, looking totally unconcerned that it looked like a whirlpool was forming around her. 

With a quiet ‘plop’ the ocean rose, and deposited a wriggling Kaihuopala'ai back on the beach. She transformed into an octopus and was shooting ink at Maui before he even had time to lift his hook. He heard, rather than saw, Moana return to the shore, and immediately lunge at the goddess. 

He flailed towards them, following the sounds of screeching and annoyed grunts, but his eyes burned so fiercely he was forced to retreat back to the ocean, attempting to wash the ink from his eyes and mouth.

When he turned around again, he did a double take, unsure if he’d somehow managed to drink a bit more of the water than he’d intended. 

Moana had Kaihuopala'ai in a headlock, the muscles of her back straining as she held the goddess still. 

‘You’ll remove the sickness’ she was saying, ‘And you will give my people a chance to earn the right to live here’. 

‘Mortals don’t belong here’ Kaihuopala'ai choked out, and Maui could see that she was waving her hands in stilted movements, attempting to transform again to escape. 

‘There is no reason we can’t live peacefully’ Moana insisted, trapping the goddess’ hands so she couldn’t escape, ‘The men of the village were sent here because they are good and strong and willing to build a new home for us. You will give them the chance to do so!’

Kaihuopala'ai looked like she wanted to argue the point, but her usually blue-tinged face was beginning to lose colour rapidly.

‘Fine!’ she gasped out eventually, ‘They can stay and I’ll remove the sickness’ 

‘And-?’ Moana added threateningly, squeezing tighter. 

‘I’ll repair the boats’ Kaihuopala'ai spluttered, ‘And give the men a chance to earn the right to the fish’. 

‘Good!’ Moana said, her voice suddenly sweet again. She released the goddess and stood to her full height, throwing her hair over one shoulder. She extended a hand towards the goddess, ‘Pleasure doing business with you’. 

The women shook hands, and as Maui watched, the boats that had been beyond repair began to stitch themselves back together. 

Kaihuopala'ai threw herself back into the sea, hissing threats under her breath, as Moana headed back towards the village, ignoring Maui entirely in favor of wringing her hair out with her hands as she walked. 

Maui stood rooted to the spot, ink still clinging to his hair, his hook abandoned by his feet and an entirely baffled look on his face.

***

Moana couldn’t help but be a little bit pleased with how the business with Kaihuopala'ai had played out. 

Yes, her parents would be horrified that they’d resorted to violence, and her entire body ached for a full week after being thrown twenty feet down the beach, but the way Maui reacted to the entire incident made it worth it. 

She often caught him looking at her now like she was a puzzle he couldn’t figure out, and he would quickly look away as soon as she caught him staring. She couldn’t help the pleased little smile that crept onto her face every time this happened, even though she knew she had to get over her silly little crush soon. 

They left Motui'a to return to Motunui once all of the men had recovered, their sores faded and they were able to return to work. Heni had been absolutely baffled by the magical repair of their boats, and the fact the men had returned to health so quickly, but he seemed to decide he didn’t really care what the reason was, he was so pleased to have his men back on their feet. 

Moana knew that her time with Maui was coming to an end again. The closer they got to Motunui, the more fidgety he got. 

He had spent so much time with her that she’d gotten used to him always being around, and the thought of him leaving sat heavy in her heart. 

‘We should be there in a few hours’ she said to him as the sun set, ‘You leaving before or after we get there?’ 

He turned to face her, his eyebrows drawn together, ‘I don’t want to leave’

She cocked an eyebrow in disbelief, ‘You can’t really want to spend all your time on a mortal island disguised as an iguana’ 

‘It’s not so bad’ he said, ‘And I get to hang out with you as much as I want’ he teased, chucking a banana at her. 

‘You’ll get bored’ she insisted, resolutely ignoring the way her heart was trying to beat its way out of her chest, ‘I have to go back to being chief, no time for adventures’. 

‘Well I think I need to hang around to make sure you pick a suitable suitor’ Maui said in an offhand way, ‘No offense, but you thought Hei-Hei was a great chicken, so I don’t really trust your judgment when it comes to men’. 

‘That’s not-’ she began, but then shut her mouth with an almost audible snap. 

‘What?’ he said, looking at her quizzically.

‘I didn’t tell you I was looking for a suitor’ she answered, trying hard to keep the accusation from her voice. 

Maui’s eyes widened slightly and he coughed into his hand, forcing a casual air, ‘I just assumed- I mean you- you’re older and-’ 

She let him stammer for a few moments before picking up the oar and pointing it at him threateningly. 

‘Out with it’. 

‘I may have- er- _overheard_ -’ 

‘You mean you eavesdropped’ Moana said scathingly, ‘How could you?!’ 

Maui looked genuinely distressed, ‘I didn’t mean to Mo- I’m sorry. I was going to surprise you and I overheard your parents addressing the village-’ 

Moana sighed, lowering the oar, ‘Why didn’t you just tell me you knew?’ 

He shrugged, ‘I figured you’d tell me when you were ready’. 

‘Well I’m not ready’ she said waspishly, and his shoulders slumped, ‘Not ready to get married, I mean’. 

He looked up at her in concern, ‘So why are you?’ 

She put a hand on her hip and scowled, ‘I don’t exactly have a choice’. 

‘But you’re already chief- why do you need a husband?’ 

‘Because I won’t be chief forever’ she said simply, sitting down and resting her back against the mast. 

‘But- oh’ understanding dawned in his eyes and Moana had to resist the temptation to roll hers. Typical demigod to forget that not everyone lives forever. 

‘So, that’s why I have to go back. To find out who my parents have picked out’. 

‘You really want to go back and start popping out babies with some random guy you don’t love?’ Maui said, and there was something in his tone of voice that she didn’t like. He sounded bitter. 

‘No’ she said flatly, ‘Of course I don’t’. 

‘So let’s not go back’ Maui said simply, ‘Let’s sail on to a new island and have a new adventure’. 

Moana’s heart ached. She longed to say yes, to ditch her responsibilities and run away for a while. But her parents would be worried sick, and the coconut harvest was coming up, and several of the younger girls were waiting for her to start teaching them how to sail. 

‘I can’t’ she said eventually, watching the water crash over the front of the canoe, ‘I wish I could’. 

She didn’t dare meet his eyes. She didn’t want to see disappointment there. 

‘I understand’ he said, and she looked up at him in surprise, ‘I don’t have a family. If I did, I would want to be with them too’. 

Moana smiled gratefully, ‘You can visit whenever you want you know’ 

‘I will’ he said firmly, ‘You’re not getting rid of me that easy Curly’. 

‘You don’t get a say in who I marry though’ she pointed out, and he began to splutter indignantly. 

‘Your chicken ate _rocks_!’ 

Laughing, she threw the banana back at him and turned to adjust the sail. 

***

It turned out she hadn’t been kidding about him not being allowed to help her choose a suitor. She met with her parents in secret and threatened to let Hei-Hei loose with his hook if he eavesdropped. 

He knew that three men had been deemed appropriate by her parents, and Moana occasionally wasn’t around in the evenings any more as she spent time with each of them. 

He wasn’t jealous. 

Much. 

Mostly he was just bored, but he wouldn’t dare admit that to her. He didn’t want to leave, didn’t want to miss any part of her life, but there’s only so many pranks you can pull on unsuspecting mortals before it gets old. 

Well, _that_ and Moana had found out it was him filling people’s huts with crabs while they were going about their daily chores. 

If he wasn’t a demigod she definitely would have left a bruise. 

‘So which bachelor is it tonight?’ He asked, lounging on her sleeping mat as he snacked on dried coconut, ‘Boring number 1, 2, or 3?’ 

‘They aren’t boring’ she hissed at him, tying her hair up while prodding him from her sleeping mat with her toe. 

‘Which is why I’ve heard so much about them, I’m sure’ he said dryly, deliberately sprinkling bits of coconut in her bed. 

‘I don’t want you interfering’ she said, dabbing some kind of red paste to her lips before licking it off. Maui absolutely did not notice the way it made her lips stand out and make her look like she’d been kissed, no sir-

‘I’m going to have to leave for a while’ he said, surprising even himself. 

Moana stopped her primping and turned to him, her brow furrowed, ‘How long for?’ 

‘I don’t know’ he said honestly, ‘Hopefully not long’. 

‘What will you be doing?’ 

‘The Gods have jobs for me’ it wasn’t technically a lie, he was sure Hina would find something for him to do. 

Moana nodded slowly, ‘I’ll miss you’. 

He could have sworn there was a vice around his heart from the way it felt to hear those words. He needed to stop his attachment, and attraction for her. He knew she didn’t feel the same and it didn’t matter even if she did- she was mortal. 

‘Of course you will’ he said with a jaunty smile, ‘Life will be so boring without me’. 

She rolled her eyes and turned away from him, and as soon as her back was to him he let the smile drop. 

‘Try-’ she began, ‘Try not to stay away too long’. 

‘I promise’ he said solemnly.

To his surprise she quickly turned to face him, throwing her arms around his neck and hiding her face in his shoulder. 

He let his hands snake around her and took one, selfish moment to hold her close. Just as he got used to the sensation, she was gone, calling out a hasty ‘goodbye!’ and leaving him alone in her house, the ghost of her still pressed against him.


	2. 'A'ohe loa i ka hana a ke aloha

Moana huffed in annoyance as she dragged one of the canoes up the sand, her back aching and her head pounding with a stress headache. One of her younger pupils had stolen a canoe much too large for them, capsized it, and impaled it on the reef. 

He’d managed to swim back to shore unscathed, but Moana was gearing up to a good lecture about how irresponsible he’d been once he’d gotten some rest. 

For now, she was stuck hauling the damaged canoe in to be repaired, with no one else around to help because they were all hard at work in the middle of the harvest.

She collapsed in the sand, panting, absolutely not thinking about how much easier this would be with a demigod by her side. 

He hadn’t returned in over a year, and at some point she’d stopped looking over her shoulder for him, expecting him to be there. 

Her three suitors had become two, after the third had fallen head over heels in love with Kalua during their sailing practice. Moana wasn’t sorry to lose Ka’eo as a suitor, she preferred him as a friend anyway, but now the other two were getting impatient.

She knew she’d have to choose soon. She could no longer join her parents for dinner without it turning into an interrogation, and she couldn’t exactly admit to them she was putting it off in the hopes a demigod would return and run away with her. 

Not a day went by where she didn’t regret not leaving with Maui when he asked. Sometimes, it kept her up at night, wondering where she would be right now if only she’d left. 

But then one of her students would make a breakthrough in their wayfinding, or a baby would be born in the village, or couples would get married and she couldn’t imagine for a _second_ not being part of it all. 

She’d never felt so torn in all her life. And she was starting to understand exactly how short her life was going to be compared to Maui’s. She would never have time to do everything she wanted to, she would just have to settle for the things she chose, and learn not to regret the things she didn’t. 

Of course, this attitude didn’t exactly stop her sitting up at night, wondering. 

‘You need a hand with that?’ Kaleo asked, gesturing towards the canoe. 

Moana shook her head to clear her thoughts, startled by his sudden appearance, ‘Please- you finished with today’s catch?’

Kaleo nodded, picking up some tools and beginning to patch one of the larger holes in the hull, ‘Good haul today, we were done pretty early’. 

They worked in silence for a few minutes before Moana realised with a jolt that they weren’t chaperoned. If her parents saw her spending time with one of her suitors without someone else present, they would have a _fit_. 

She cursed under her breath, dropping her tools in the sand, ‘I should go’ she said, looking around to see if anyone had seen them. 

‘But we haven’t finished?’ Kaleo said, looking confused, ‘I thought this needed to be done as soon as possible?’ 

‘Well, yes’ she said, wringing her hands nervously, ‘But we don’t have a chaperone’. 

Kaleo opened his mouth to answer but shut it again quickly, ‘I can go fetch my sister?’ he said, ‘She’s not working the harvest because she’s sick’ 

‘We don’t want to drag her all the way out here if she’s... sick’ Moana said slowly, while quietly wondering how on earth he could have missed the fact Kalua had been “sick” for the last month and her belly was distinctly rounder. 

‘You go back to the village’ he said understandingly, ‘I’ll finish the repairs’. 

Moana hovered indecisively, ‘You’ll never finish it all on your own before dark’ 

Kaleo shrugged, ‘I’ll manage’ 

She dropped to the sand next to him, picking up the hammer again, ‘I can’t let you do it on your own’ She said firmly, ‘If people talk, we’ll deal with it’.

He laughed under his breath, ‘Alright, but if your dad comes after me I’ll tell him it was all your fault’

She nodded seriously, ‘That’s fine, I’d rather get this fixed and get in trouble’.

They worked in together until the sun set, handing each other tools and holding parts of the canoe in place while the other drove in nails. Moana was surprised exactly how easy it was to work with him, all their meetings had been chaperoned for so long that it felt like they hadn’t had a real conversation since they were ten years old. 

She couldn’t help but remember the way he’d spoken to Kalua all those months ago- his disbelief about Maui and her adventures. But he was making her laugh, and helping her when he didn’t have to, and she was beginning to find herself hard pressed to find reasons to turn him down. 

The sun had sunk fully below the horizon by the time the boat was repaired, and Moana stood, stretching out the various kinks in her spine from being sat in one position for so long. 

‘This was fun’ Kaleo said smiling at her as he packed the tools away, ‘And I don’t think anyone saw, so there shouldn’t be any gossip tomorrow’ 

Moana grimaced, ‘Let’s hope not’ 

Kaleo seemed to hesitate for a moment before saying, ‘Can I ask you something?’

She made a general noise of consent, picking up her own tools. 

‘Why are you putting off your decision?’ 

She froze, having not expected his bluntness at all. 

‘If it’s because you don’t want to hurt my feelings it’s ok’ he added quickly, ‘If you chose Pika I’ll understand. You don’t have to put off your decision out of respect for our feelings’. 

Moana was entirely caught off guard, her mouth opening and closing comically for a few moments. 

‘I shouldn’t have said anything’ he said fretfully, tugging a hand through his hair, ‘I shouldn’t be trying to influence you’.

‘It’s not that’ she said eventually, ‘It’s just-’ she broke off, unable to meet his eye. 

He sat patiently, waiting for her to finish, not interrupting or prompting her. Eventually she sighed. 

‘We’ve known each other all our lives’ she said slowly, ‘Can I drop the formalities a moment?’ 

He snorted a laugh, ‘I think I dropped them as soon as I brought this subject up’. 

‘I’m not ready to get married’ she said simply, shrugging at him, ‘I know I have to, eventually. But this whole courtship process seems like my parents want me married off as soon as possible’. 

‘Why would they do that?’ he asked, ‘They’ve given you the freedom to choose your husband yourself, at least?’ 

Moana shrugged noncommittally, ‘If I’m married I can’t go running off on adventures with Maui’ she said, watching carefully for his reaction, ‘They want me to commit myself to the village, not just to a man’. 

‘But surely they don’t want you to stop sailing?’ he asked, ‘You need to keep discovering more islands with us’ 

‘I think they want me to settle down on one island and start producing further chiefs, and leave some of the other elders to run the other islands’. 

‘That sounds boring’ Kaleo said, seemingly without thought. His eyes widened slightly and he clamped a hand over his mouth before adding, ‘I’m sure it’s not. Parenthood is it’s own adventure and all that-’ 

‘Parenthood is it’s own adventure?’ Moana quoted, her voice dripping with mirth, ‘Where on earth did you hear that?’ 

‘Something I heard my mom telling my sister’ he said, his cheeks reddening. 

Moana snorted, ‘Well it’s not an adventure I’m interested in. Not any time soon’. 

Kaleo smirked, ‘Me either, so maybe I shouldn’t be your husband. You can find someone who’s willing to have Mini-Moana’s with you’. 

She tossed a pebble at him as he laughed. 

***

He wasn’t finding an excuse to go back. 

He _wasn’t_. 

This was a legitimate threat which he needed her assistance with, and it would be irresponsible to let innocent lives be lost just because he didn’t want to disturb Moana’s peaceful life. 

No matter how many different ways he told himself that as he flew to Motunui, he was never fully convinced. 

He’d barely been gone five minutes; she’d probably laugh at him, in that smug way she does and suggest that maybe he can’t stay away. 

And yes okay maybe he can’t, but the feisty little mortal was under his skin in an almost embarrassing way. 

He landed on the island just after dawn, remaining in hawk form to avoid being spotted by the fishermen who were pushing off from the shore. 

He found Moana quickly, but was annoyed to see she wasn’t alone. 

She was eating breakfast with a man Maui hadn’t seen before, as he watched, she threw her head back and laughed heartily at something the man said, clutching a piece of papaya in one hand. 

The man- and he was hardly a man, definitely more of a _boy_ \- was looking at her like she’d hung the sun, a small smitten smile on his face that Maui definitely did not like the look of. He was a little taller than her, long hair tied back from his face and from his build and colouring, Maui would have guessed he probably worked in the sun all day, possibly on the boats. 

Moana was smiling up at him as he said something else, and Maui watched as he so casually put an arm around her. The surge in Maui’s belly felt an awful lot like jealousy. 

He ruffled in feathers indignantly and settled down on the roof to watch them intently for the rest of their meal. 

By the time the boy had kissed Moana’s cheek and headed off to finally do some work, the sun had fully risen and Maui’s every muscle was so tense he felt about ready to explode. 

He took a breath before stepping off the roof and transforming in the air, landing gracefully on the ground in front of Moana, who was clearing away the remainder of their meal. 

‘Maui!’ she exclaimed, as soon as she saw him, ‘You’re back!’.

She dropped the bowl she’d been carrying and immediately threw her arms around his neck, ‘I’ve only been gone five minutes kid’ he said slightly gruffly, holding her a little tighter anyway. 

‘Five minutes?’ Moana said incredulously, ‘It’s been over a _year_ ’.

Maui’s stomach seemed to drop right out of him, ‘A year?’ a repeated dumbly, ‘I didn’t mean to stay away that long-’ 

‘It doesn’t matter’ Moana said firmly, cutting him off, ‘You’re here now’. 

He opened his mouth to respond but suddenly Moana shoved him behind a wall, shushing him. 

‘Moana, there you are’ came Sina’s voice, ‘I trust you had a good morning?’ 

‘Yes, it was nice. Thank you for letting me meet him unchaperoned’. 

‘I think it’s a nice idea, chaperoned dates are often so awkward, I wish I’d been brave enough to ask my parents to do without them when I was courting your father’. 

Moana snorted, ‘From what I’ve heard it wasn’t exactly a lengthy courtship’ 

Sina sniffed, ‘Well when you know, you know. Do you feel that way about Kaleo?’ 

Moana made a noncommittal noise, and Maui desperately wished he could see her face.

There was a beat of silence, before Moana said, ‘I’d better finish tidying this away, I have some things to attend to this morning’. 

The loud clattering of bowls signified Moana was done with the conversation, and Maui dared to peek his head around the wall. 

Sina was gone, and Moana was clearing the table, a sour look on her face. 

‘Er- Mo?’ 

‘Sorry’ she sighed, turning to face him, ‘Just let me finish this and I’ll meet you on the mountain, ok?’ 

Maui nodded, transforming quickly and flying up to their favourite spot. 

He waited for almost an hour before she arrived, the sun baking down on his back and his muscles aching as he sat in the same spot for so long. 

He’d been gone a _year_. It had been longer than he’d meant to, that much was clear in the changes to the island and it’s people. 

He recognised one woman who was bouncing a baby on her hip, but the last time he’d been here she hadn’t even looked pregnant. Two of the boys Maui still thought of as children had been working with the fishermen that morning, and Sina had definitely had more grey hair now than when he’d left. 

Maybe Moana was outgrowing him. He was immortal, yes, but in so many ways the people who lived and loved and died experienced so much more than he ever could. 

For a moment he allowed himself to fantasize about what his life would be like if he was mortal. To settle down on an island and marry and produce a brood of mini-Maui’s. 

It almost pained him to admit it, but the image wasn’t completely repulsive. 

‘Hi’ came a sheepish voice from behind him, ‘I’m sorry I left you waiting so long’ 

He turned, studying her as he did. She’d stopped growing, her stature unchanged in the last year. The only difference he could see was the now sprawling malus which covered almost her entire legs. 

What had changed was the way she held herself, she stood tall, her shoulders back and her chin jutting out proudly. 

She stood like a chief. 

Her hands were calloused and her shoulders strong- she wasn’t an idle chief, it was written into her very skin how hard she worked for her island. 

‘How old are you?’ the question popped out without a thought and Moana tilted her head to the side in confusion. 

‘Why?’ 

‘I just- I don’t kn- I’m not good with mortal ages’ he admitted eventually, ‘I feel like I’ve known you for five minutes, but I can tell it’s been years’. 

Moana chewed her lip slowly, ‘I’m coming up on 22’ she sighed, ‘My parents expected me to be married with children by now’. 

‘How old were you when we met?’ he asked, and she laughed. 

‘You really are bad with ages’ she teased, sitting down under a tree and opening the pouch of food she’d brought with her, ‘I was fifteen’. 

Maui sat down next to her and accepted a piece of dry mango without even thinking about it.

‘What age are people usually when they get married?’ 

Moana shrugged, ‘Twenty or twenty one I suppose. I was supposed to be younger since they need to make sure I have plenty of time to pop out another chief’. 

They sat in awkward silence for a moment, both chewing on their fruit in the mid morning sun, hoping the other would break the silence. 

Eventually, Maui couldn’t stand it any more. ‘I need your help with something’ 

‘My help? Moana asked, her brow knitting together, ‘With what?’ 

‘A few Mo’o have taken over an inhabited island, they’re wreaking havoc and hurting the villagers. I was hoping you could help me stop them’ he said casually. 

‘How exactly am I supposed to stop mo’o?’ she asked incredulously, ‘I’m mortal, I’d barely be an appetizer for them!’ 

Maui conceded the point with an incline of his head, ‘But you make excellent bait’. 

The penny dropped and Moana jumped to her feet, ‘That was a one time thing! I am not going to dangle myself in front of monsters for your amusement’. 

‘You won’t be in any danger!’ he promised, ‘I’ll get to them before they can hurt you, and it’s not just the mo’o that I need help with’. 

She tossed her hair over one shoulder, put a hand on her hip and glared at him until he continued speaking; ‘The people living on the island need aid. Half of the men who’ve gone after the mo’o have been killed, including the chief, leaving the village vulnerable’ 

Moana’s eyes softened as he spoke and he could see the indecision warring in her eyes; ‘Women and children in danger and open to attack’ he continued imploringly, ‘Their homes destroyed and food stocks dwindling-’ 

‘I can be ready to leave in an hour’ 

Maui beamed and took another bite of mango. 

***

Her parents hadn’t exactly taken it _well_ , but that was hardly a surprise. 

Especially since she couldn’t exactly say where she was going, how long for, or who with. 

Kaleo had been understanding at least. He’d ducked down, pressed a quick kiss to her cheek, and said ‘Kick ass and come home, yeah?’, before jogging off to get back to work. 

She’d blushed furiously, glad he was already half way down the beach and unable to see. Maui clearly suspected though, as he squinted at her as she boarded the canoe ten minutes later. 

‘Loverboy ok with you taking off?’ he asked casually, steering towards the reef. 

She scowled at him, ‘Eavesdropping again were you?’

He held up a hand placatingly, ‘Not deliberately, just saw you together is all’.

She sniffed in a dignified manner and continued sorting their supplies. They’d brought a lot with them, determined to give what they could to the villagers who needed their help. 

‘He’s fine with it’ she said, ‘He knows I would go mad if I was stuck on the island forever’. 

Maui made some kind of noncommittal noise and tightened a rope. 

‘How long do you think it’ll take us to get to the island?’ she asked, trying to change the subject. 

‘Six days’ he said bluntly, ‘And it’s not the easiest crossing. I’ll take the first watch. You get some sleep while you can’. 

Recognising the dismissal, Moana curled into a ball at the bottom of the mast and tried to drift off, wondering why things had to change. 

It took them eight days to reach the island in the end, a fierce storm knocking them off course for hours before they could rectify the problem. Maui had transformed into a giant whale at one point and they’d used him as a living anchor to stop the canoe from being blown away. They threw themselves into the sailing, but in quiet moments, it was blindingly obvious they were tiptoeing around each other, and Moana knew they were close to breaking point. 

She had to grow old. She had to marry and have children and if Maui wasn’t okay with that then he needed to learn to be. 

Moana barely resisted the temptation to kiss the ground once they finally landed. Her hair was a salty, tangled mess, and her skin itched in desperation for a wash in some freshwater. 

Maui hauled the canoe to the shore like it weighed no more than she did, and collapsed down in the sand next to her. 

‘After that storm, the mo’o will be nothing’ he said breezily. 

She huffed at him, massaging her shoulder which was throbbing from being thrown against the mast. 

‘Village is called La’ie, it’s about an hour’s walk that way’ he continued, waving one hand in a general easterly direction, ‘We should probably get there as fast as we can’. 

Moana sighed heavily, got to her feet, and began unpacking the supplies from the boat. 

She ladened Maui down with food, selecting only a few lighter items for herself to carry, and headed in the direction he’d pointed in, not waiting to see if he would follow.

They walked for some time through open fields, obviously used for growing some kind of plant, before the path became narrower, stopping all together on the edge of a densely wooded area. 

‘Are you sure this is the way?’ she asked doubtfully, peering through the murky darkness under the canopy of the trees, ‘There’s no path’. 

‘This is it’ Maui said confidently, shifting a satchel of coconuts from one shoulder to the other. 

He strode on ahead, and Moana followed after a moment's hesitation. 

They’d only been walking for a moment when Moana heard a distinctive noise, her eyes widening in delight.

‘Maui stop!’ she called, and his footfalls immediately ceased.

‘What is it?’ he asked, a distinct note of concern in his voice, ‘Are you hurt- do you need-?’ 

She shushed him, listening hard. Grinning at him she took off up a hill, pushing her way through undergrowth until she found what she was looking for. 

A giant hot water spring, bubbling peacefully in the middle of a secluded spot.

The water was foaming slightly, and it was impossible to tell how deep it went. But a gentle haze of steam rose from the surface, the worn rocks at the edge providing the perfect place to sit and rest their aching feet. 

She turned to Maui, and it was already evident that he was going to object. 

‘Five minutes’ she said quickly, before he could speak, ‘Just let me wash the voyage off myself’. 

Maui pursed his lips in a way that reminded Moana horribly of the expression her Mother made whenever she'd skipped lessons to go and watch the boats as a child.

'Please?' she asked, biting her lip, 'I'll be quick I _swear_ '. 

Maui dropped the bags of food he was carrying and muttered 'Fine', before stripping off and diving into the pool. 

Moana stood at the edge, momentarily frozen by indecision. He'd completely stripped bare, and she could almost hear her mother's horrified voice in her head if she knew what her daughter was doing. 

She decided that action was the best course of action for silencing the voice, and immediately began to strip off herself. The water was was covered in a light foam, which she knew would cover her once she’d entered the pool. Gritting her teeth, she peeled away the last layers of her clothing and attempted to stride towards the pool with her head held high; but her foot caught in the fabric of her lava-lava and she tripped. 

She practically dove into the water in an attempt to salvage her dignity, but it was too late; she was blushing from head to toe and Maui was smirking at her from the other side of the pond. 

‘Mortals are so funny about nudity’ he said conversationally as he washed his hair, ‘Thousands of years later and I still don’t understand why. They all look the same really- why be embarrassed about it?’. 

Moana decided not to answer, choosing instead to step into the deepest part of the pool and sink under the water, soaking her tangled hair and scrubbing her face with her hands. 

She remained under the water for as long as she could stand it, and once she broke the surface the warmth of the water seemed to have permeated her entire body, relaxing each muscle until she didn’t really care that she was entirely naked. She swam slowly to the edge of the pool again, where she could stand.

‘Better?’ Maui asked, his eyebrows raised.

Moana made a general noise of agreement before beginning to comb her fingers through her hair. ‘Thank you for letting us stop, I know we’re in a hurry’. 

Maui seemed to be blushing too now, ‘Don’t mention it princess’ he said gruffly, keeping his eyes firmly on the canopy of greenery above them 

‘Still not a princess’ she muttered, gently working out the tangles in her hair. 

***

This was torture. Real, actual torture and for the life of him Maui couldn’t remember why on earth he’d thought this was a good idea. 

She was naked, barely 3 feet from him and he was having to do his damn best not to look at her, even though she had now raised her hands above her head to wash her hair, and in doing so was exposing herself from the torso up. 

Torture. 

He hadn’t expected her to strip off. He’d done it to mess with her, to tease her after their conversation had been so strained the last few days. 

Needless to say he knew he’d made a gross miscalculation, and was endlessly grateful for the foam that topped the pool.

‘Are you done?’ he heard himself say some time later, still staring determinedly towards the sky instead of his very naked friend. 

His _beautiful_ naked friend. 

He cleared his throat and hopped out of the pool, putting his clothes back on as fast as he could, before she could see the effect she’d had on him. 

He could still hear her behind him, splashing around heavily. He started gathering the food they’d brought again, hauling it over his shoulder. 

‘Common Mo we really need to go’ he said, still adjusting the bags to avoid looking at her. 

He sighed heavily when he got no reply, picking her clothes up gingerly and turning to the pool, planning on throwing them at her. 

Only she wasn’t there. 

‘Mo?’ he yelled, dropping her clothes and looking frantically around. 

She wasn’t anywhere to be seen, and Maui dropped the bags and dove towards the pool. In the depths of the water he could just about make out a shape he assumed was Moana- but she was struggling, her arms flailing helplessly. 

Maui didn’t recall making the decision to shift, but before he know it he was swimming to her in the form of an eel, as fast as his body could carry him. 

Once his eyes adjusted to the darkness he realised the black shape wrapped around Moana wasn’t just shadow, but a large mo’o; easily longer than any he’d ever seen and writhing as it attempted to drown her. 

Maui darted forwards, sinking his teeth into the closest part of the mo’o he could reach- it recoiled, letting go of Moana and she swam towards the surface. 

Confident she was going to be ok, Maui lunged for the mo’o again, but it was quicker than he’d anticipated and pain flared through his body as the giant creature collided with him. It’s skin was slick, almost oily, and Maui couldn’t help but recoil in disgust. 

The creature was almost entirely black, making it difficult to determine it’s size in the gloom at the depth of the pool. Desperately Maui tried to coax the creature from the depths, swimming just out of it’s reach. 

The mo’o began to slither towards him, and he saw to his horror that it was much larger than he’d thought. It was easily 30 feet long, and it uncurled itself from the bottom of the pool, swimming towards Maui with a glint in its eye and it’s giant teeth bared. 

Maui swam as fast as he could towards the surface, determined to relocate the fight to solid ground, where he would have the advantage. 

Suddenly, the mo’o changed direction, and Maui twisted frantically to see what had caught it’s attention. 

Moana was back in the water, swimming down to meet them, a knife in her hand. She slashed the mo’o but it smacked her aside as if she was made of nothing. 

Maui barely repressed his scream of horror as Moana flew through the water. He shifted quickly into a shark, snapping his teeth at the mo'o, which was now slithering towards Moana. 

He tore through one of the mo'o's limbs, but there was no way of telling how many the creature had. Maui spat the bitter blood from his mouth as best he could, his heart pounding as he saw a glimpse of Moana, who'd used the distraction to take another breath, and was now diving back under the water. 

The mo'o reared up, it's entire body leaving the water, and before Maui even had a chance to realise what was happening, he was sailing through the air, his lungs seizing up as they tried to adjust to being in the air. 

Almost as soon as he landed he transformed again, standing quickly to his full height and scanning around quickly for Moana. She was several yards away, coughing but she looked unhurt. 

He turned quickly toward the mo'o, who looked even more monstrous now it was on land. The creature was entirely black, with a horned head and a forked tongue. He was the strangest mo'o Maui had ever seen- not quite a lizard, but not quite a dragon either. 

One of it’s legs was bleeding heavily from Maui’s teeth, and he felt a surge of pride as he noticed a distinct knife wound down one side of it’s body. 

‘Maui move!’ Moana screamed, but it was too late, while he’d been stood still the mo’o had swung it’s barbed tail and Maui found himself, once again, flying through the air. His shoulder stang horribly from the barbs and when he finally hit the ground he lay there for a moment, stunned. 

He was jolted back into action by Moana’s scream- it didn’t sound like she was in pain, but Maui dove through the trees regardless, doing his best to ignore the ache from his wounded shoulder, but of course, as a demigod, he couldn’t bleed.

He remerged into the clearing and immediately ground to a halt. Moana was standing over the mo’o, panting heavily. The knife she’d been clutching was now protruding from the eye socket of the creature, and she was smeared with blood, which Maui fiercely hoped wasn’t hers. 

He moved to stand behind her, reaching out to touch her shoulder. 

‘Mo-?’ he said softly, and she jumped, turning to face him.

He studied her face intently; she was wide eyed, but didn’t seem hurt. She was breathing hard and her wet hair was tangled wildly around her face and neck. 

‘How did you know to go for its eyes?’ he asked. 

‘Lucky guess’ she quipped, her voice a little higher than usual. 

They smiled at each other for a moment, until Maui suddenly realised that despite all the blood, she was still very, very naked.

He cleared his throat and locked his eyes on her face pointedly, ‘Er- Mo, your clothes-’ 

She tutted and rolled her eyes with a small smile; ‘Honestly, immortals are so funny about nudity’. 

***  
The rest of the mo'o seemed to come out of a trance upon the death of their queen. They went back to being relatively harmless, settling down in their caves with their young and content just to feed on fish and small birds. 

The villagers were so grateful to them that the celebrations lasted nearly a week. Moana couldn't remember the last time she'd danced so gleefully or eating so freely. She'd drunk more wine than she would ever have been allowed at home, and she was under no pressure- to the islanders she was a hero, their saviour from the cursed mo'o and comrade to Maui. They thought she dressed in funny clothing, and their customs differed in strange ways, but it was comforting to be surrounded by so many people who were thriving despite their hardship.

Several days into their stay she'd heard a few of the older women whispering in their strange tongue that she must be a goddess, to be so in Maui’s favour, but Moana laughed and assured them she was as mortal as the rest of them. She became fast friends with some of the younger girls on the island, particularly a girl her own age called Iolana, who was always available should Moana have questions about the island.

The island was beautiful in every way; and before long Moana found herself longing for Motunui again. She wanted to feel Kalua's belly and see how her child was growing, she wanted to know how the newest recruits of fishermen were getting on, she wanted to help her mother weave new baskets.

She wanted, in short, to live a mortal life. 

But then Maui would tell another story about his adventures, about the people he’d met and the places he’d been, and he'd tease her for looking so enraptured. She' blush and brush him off, because it was true.

She wanted to live a life with him, too. 

Moana knew in her heart of hearts that she couldn't have both. She couldn't be a chief and grow old surrounded my children and still have Maui by her side. 

She allowed herself, in moments of weakness, to picture what children of theirs might look like. She liked to imagine they'd get his eyes, but her nose. 

Then she would wake up in the morning and squash those feelings right back down into her toes.

Her heart sung whenever he smiled at her, but every time one of the children on the island laughed or Iolana gossiped happily about her suitor, Moana felt a stab of loneliness. 

Kaleo wasn’t perfect, she knew that. But he was as close to it as she was likely to get; and she knew it was time to go home. 

‘So soon?’ Maui asked her in surprise when she brought it up, ‘We only just got here!’ 

‘We’ve stayed nearly two weeks’ she said, ‘I know that’s not long to you, but even if we leave right now I’ll still have been gone from Motunui for over a month by the time I get home’. 

‘So?’ 

‘So I can’t leave my island without it’s chief for so long!’ she exclaimed, ‘There is so much to do, and my father is not as young as he once was-’ 

‘-and you need to get home to loverboy’ he said with a slightly sour expression. 

‘His name is Kaleo’ she said, glaring daggers at him, ‘and yes. I need to make a decision about marriage and I can’t do it this far away from home’. 

Maui choked on the swig of water he’d taken, ‘You what?’ 

Moana drew herself up to her full height, ‘I need to take my duty more seriously- that means marrying, you knew that’. 

‘But not so soon-!’ Maui looked genuinely distressed, and Moana felt a stab of hope that perhaps, he felt more than just friendship for her too. 

‘It doesn’t have to change anything’ she said, the lie bitter on her tongue, ‘You can still visit as much as you like’. 

‘You know I don’t want your people to know I’m real’ he said, ‘That includes any husband of yours’. 

‘Why?’ she asked, frustrated, ‘You showed yourself to the people living here- they celebrate you! Why do you think the people of Motunui would be any different?’ 

‘Because they have grown up thinking I stole the heart of Te Fiti for myself!’ 

There was a beat of silence. 

‘But they know you didn’t-’ Moana began to reassure him, but he interrupted her. 

‘They grew up thinking of me as a villain’ he said sharply, ‘Just because their flighty chief came home with a tall tale about Maui the Demi God doesn’t mean they’ll have changed their minds’. 

‘Flighty chief?’ she said scathingly, ‘I only leave the island because of _you_ ’. 

‘Don’t kid yourself’ he said sharply, ‘You always wanted to leave- and now you’re desperate to go back?’.

‘It’s my home-’ she began falteringly, ‘I need to-’ 

‘You don’t _need_ to do anything!’ Maui said, standing now, and Moana was suddenly reminded of exactly how large he was- taking up so much more space than she did, but she refused to move. 

‘But I do!’ she cried, stepping unconsciously closer to him, ‘I’m _mortal_ \- I don’t have the luxury of swanning around and playing the hero, I have to go home and live a mortal life before I run out of time’ 

‘Your biological clock starts ticking so you decide to give up the only thing you’ve ever really enjoyed doing?’ 

She reeled backwards like she’d been slapped, ‘You think it’s just about wanting children?’ 

‘Well what else?’ he said bitterly, ‘You never wanted to be chief, you never wanted to get married, but suddenly you’re in a rush to do both’. 

She blinked up at him, mortified that her eyes had begun to fill with tears; ‘Is it so wrong to want to be loved?’ she asked him quietly, and he didn’t meet her eye, ‘All those humans who’ve adored you for thousands of years but you’ve never known love. Not really’. 

Maui flinched. 

‘I don’t want to be like that’ she said, the words feeling cruel even though they were true, ‘I’d rather live one short life and know love, than hundreds of lifetimes without’. 

He still wasn’t looking at her, and for that she was grateful. The tears were flowing steadily now, and she gave up trying to wipe them away. The truth was she didn’t know if she would ever learn to love Kaleo, but at least with him there was a chance. 

‘You’re right’ he said eventually, ‘You deserve love’. 

Moana let out a sob, before flinging her arms around him. 

He held her close and she swore she could feel her heart breaking into pieces; because this was it. Things would never be the same again once she was married, whether Maui revealed himself to her people or not.

‘Promise me’ she began, her voice wavering embarrassingly, ‘Promise me you’ll keep visiting, right up until I’m old and grey and ready to leave this earth’. 

‘Even after that’ he said into her hair, ‘I’ll find you again in every lifetime. Even if you come back as one of the molluscs on Tamatoa’s neck’. 

Moana let out a watery chuckle and pulled away from him. 

‘I’ll pack my things’ he said, turning away from her. 

‘No’, she said firmly, ‘You should help them rebuild after the mo’o attack- they need you here’. 

‘Are you sure?’ Maui asked, studying her with a frown, but she smiled. 

‘Don't worry, I know the way’. 

***

The temptation to follow her hung over him for days. He knew that he was faster as an eagle than she was in her canoe; he could catch up with her, hold her close and tell her exactly how he felt. 

But he didn’t. 

He told himself that she deserved better than him, that she deserved to have a family and grow old and do all the things that he never could. 

But it didn’t help. 

He loved her, he realised now. And not the kind of platonic, friendly love that he should feel for her. 

No, it was the kind of love that made him want to fish entirely new islands from the sea just to make her smile. The kind of love that people sang about and prayed for. The kind of love that inspired him to spend hours fantasizing about a life with her, about waking up to her every morning and building a home together. About little boys with her smile and his hair, girls with her sense of adventure and his humor. 

The kind of love he could never have. 

The elders of the village they’d rescued whispered amongst themselves, often stopping abruptly as he passed by, their eyes following him until he was out of earshot again. 

They whispered about the great and powerful Maui, his heart broken by a mortal. About how he wasn’t like the stories they’d been told as children- the Maui in the story books would never have let a woman he loved get away. 

He could feel himself harden as the weeks went by, his resolve stiffening daily. She was probably married by now, he reasoned. He’d let her go and it was too late to change anything. 

And besides, even if he _had_ told her how he felt, there was no guarantee she felt the same way about _him_ , and he would still have to watch her die in a few measly years. 

The island was fully recovered from the mo’o attacks by the time Maui realised he couldn’t hide from her forever. She had asked him to visit after all, and no matter how badly it hurt, he wouldn’t let her life slip by without spending as much time with her as he could. 

He slipped quietly into the elder’s meeting place one night to say his goodbyes to the chief, when to his surprise he found all the elders gathered there, as if waiting for him. 

‘Er- hello?’ he began eloquently, freezing on the threshold. 

‘Maui’ the new chief said respectfully, inclining his head, ‘Some of the elders wished to speak with you before you left’. 

He gestured to the four old women assembled at his right, and Maui got the distinct impression he was humoring the women. 

‘We would like to speak to the great Maui alone, if you’ll permit chief’ the eldest of the group said, and the chief nodded gratefully. 

‘By all means, I’d best be getting home’ he smiled, before turning to Maui, ‘It’s been an honor to have you with us- we will forever be in your debt for ridding us of that terrible mo’o’. 

Maui shook the young man’s hand firmly, thanking him for his hospitality. 

As soon as the chief left, the women practically swarmed around him. 

Before Maui had really had the chance to realise what was happening he’d been handed a mug of some steaming liquid and was being forced down into a very squashy chair, a woman on each side of him while two sat facing him.

‘We thought we should have a talk before you left, dear’ the eldest woman began, settling herself down in the chair opposite Maui, ‘About Moana’. 

Maui tried not to let his surprise show on his face, ‘What about her?’ 

‘Are you planning on telling her how you feel?’ the woman on his left piped up. 

He spluttered slightly on the drink he’d been given, which unfortunately didn’t seem to be alcoholic, but some kind of warming blend of herbs. 

‘I can’t- I don’t- You shouldn't-’ he coughed for a second while the women looked at him patiently, ‘Is it really that obvious?’ 

The woman on his right patted the back of his hand comfortingly, ‘Only to those of us who’ve lived long enough to see these things’. 

Maui snorted self deprecatingly, ‘I’m much older than all of you’. 

The woman on his left waved her hand dismissively, ‘You’re a man, that’s not your fault’. 

All the women tittered in agreement and Maui tried not to be too offended. 

‘You let her go’ the eldest woman said, and a hush fell over the whole room, ‘Why?’. 

'I didn't have a choice' he muttered, looking down into the depths of his cup, 'She had to go home to her family, to her suitors'. 

The women clucked understandingly, the woman next to him patting his hand again. 

‘And did it not occur to you to tell her that you wished to be her suitor?' one of them asked, 'it's obvious that you do'. 

'I can't' he said quietly, 'I’m immortal, she's not. I can't give her children or a normal life'. 

'Are you so sure that's what she wants?' 

‘It's her duty' Maui said, the word tasting bitter, 'She needs to produce more chiefs to continue ruling the island'. 

'Yes' the elder agreed, 'That's what she needs, but what do you think she wants?' 

Maui paused, his stomach churning 'I think she wants children too. She wants to make her parents proud and her island safe'. 

'And you, Maui?'. 

He blinked up at her, 'Me?' 

'What do you want?' 

For a moment, he considered lying to them. But they looked at him with such understanding he found the words tumbling out before he could stop them. 

'I want her' he swallowed, 'I want to live a mortal life with her'. 

The silence in the room was heavy, and he glanced up to see the elder smiling so brightly at him she was positively beaming. 

‘What?’ he asked, looking at them suspiciously, and then down at his cup, which to his surprise, was empty. 

'You only needed to ask, Maui' the eldest woman said softly, 'You have served the Gods well for thousands of years- they would not begrudge you for wanting to live a mortal life'. 

'Do you really think the gods will accept me becoming mortal again?' Maui gaped 'After all this time?' 

‘I think you really need to ask yourself if she’s worth it’ the woman on his left said wisely, 'you’d be giving up everything you’ve ever known for her’. 

He barely even hesitated; ‘Absolutely’. 

The woman to his right smiled serenely and topped his mug up.

'Thank you ladies' the elder said, 'You can leave us now'. 

Maui frowned in confusion as the other three women bid him goodbye before filing out of the room. 

'Come with me' the elder said, once they were alone, standing herself and heading outside without checking to see if he was following her. 

Maui followed her out into the village, his feet seeming to obey directions he couldn’t remember giving them. He followed blindly as they left the village entirely, heading deeper into the island. She walked surprisingly quickly considering her advanced age, and Maui actually found himself struggling to keep up at times. 

The tea he’d drank began to make him feel tired and sluggish as they trekked up a hill, and to his surprise, he found himself sweating with the exertion. 

Eventually they reached a clearing, where the old woman turned to face him. She wasn’t so much as out of breath- she looked as though she’d done nothing more strenuous than pour herself a drink, while Maui was panting, his stomach rolling over while he regretting having the second cup of tea. 

Before his very eyes, her outward appearance seemed to melt away, revealing a friendly face framed with masses of silvery hair, a face that Maui hadn't seen since he was very small. 

'Hina' he breathed, his eyes widening. 

'You've done so many wonderful things for mortals' she said gently, taking his hand in hers, 'how could you possibly believe that we would not grant you this one wish?' 

‘You’ve given me more than I could ever have asked for’ Maui said, meeting her eye, ‘I didn’t want to sound ungrateful’. 

‘You are a demigod’ the goddess smiled, ‘It’s easy to forget sometimes, but you are just as mortal as you are god’. 

‘I don’t always feel it’ he admitted, ‘I’ve been treated like a god for so long, I’m not sure I’d know how to be human’. 

‘I’m sure Moana will have a few pointers for you’ Hina teased him, letting go of his hands, ‘I release you, Maui, demigod of the wind and sea, from your duties. Go, be mortal, but always remember where you came from’. 

Maui opened his mouth to reply, but before he could make a sound, the tea got the best of him, and the world went black around him. 

*** 

She didn’t go home. 

Not straight away, anyway. First, she sailed to Te Fiti. 

She knew she shouldn't. But an idea had gripped her after she'd said goodbye to Maui, and she had to know if there was any way she could have it all- to be chief and have a family and still have Maui. 

That way lay madness, but it's the way she went anyway. 

It took her two days to reach Te Fiti, and Moana found the island completely unchanged. She drew her canoe ashore and wondered how she was supposed to go about attracting the attention of a goddess just to satisfy her own curiosity. 

She wandered for several hours through the lush atmosphere of the island and found that she felt better just by being there. The perfume the flowers left in the air and the total peace of the place left her with such a feeling of contentment, that she almost forgot why she was there in the first place. 

Gathering her courage as the sun was setting, Moana hiked to the place Te Fiti had left her the last time she'd been here- although it felt a lifetime ago. 

'Te Fiti?' Moana called timidly, 'I've come to ask you something'. 

For several long moments, nothing happened, but then the ground began to shake underneath her feet and Moana felt as though her heart may beat through her chest as Te Fiti awoke, sitting up and smiling down at her, before laying out a hand for Moana to step on. 

'It's been too long, child' Te Fiti said affectionately, the words echoing inside Mona's head. 

'It's been years' Moana said with a sad smile, 'And yet only one of us has aged'. 

'You've grown into a beautiful woman' Te Fiti said, and Moana flushed. 'But I suspect you've come to talk about something other than yourself' Te Fiti prompted gently, and Moana didn’t reply for a few moments.

'Something like a certain demigod, perhaps?' 

Moana looked up at her in surprise, 'How did you know?' 

Te Fiti just smiled serenely, 'I have lived a very long time- you learn to recognise the friends that souls make'. 

'Like- destiny?' Moana asked, her heart leaping, 'Me and him?' 

'Perhaps' the Goddess answered, 'It depends on what you decide to do now'. 

'That's why I'm here' Moana said, feeling awkward, 'I know that I can never be with Maui, because he is immortal and I am not'. 

'For now' Te Fiti said mysteriously, 'Souls who belong together find ways of being together despite any adversity' 

Moana gaped, speechless, and Te Fiti smiled down at her. 

'You need to speak your mind, child' she said, 'For all my power, I’m not a mind reader'.

‘You’re telling me there's a chance?’ she asked quietly, ‘That we could be together?’. 

Te Fiti studied her for a long time, and Moana kept her chin up and met her eye the whole time.

‘Go to him’ the goddess said eventually, ‘I think you’ll find that the length of your life will not be what keeps you apart’ 

Moana felt as though the bottom of her stomach had dropped right out; ‘You’ll make me immortal?’ 

Te Fiti smiled, ‘You’ve been immortal from the moment you touched my heart, child, how else could you have survived all you have?’ 

She gaped up at her, ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ 

The Goddess raised one perfect, floral eyebrow, ‘You weren't ready to know about your gift. You’ll live as long as Maui does, only you will bleed like a mortal, in order to continue your legacy of chiefs for Motunui’. 

Moana went scarlet at the mention of something so intimate, before realising she was literally talking to the Goddess of life itself, so embarrassment over something like her ma’i was more than pointless. 

Te Fiti smiled, as if reading her mind, ‘You will bleed, bear children and live as long as Maui does; for as long as he loves you the way you do him’. 

‘I didn’t say I loved him-’ she began, but Te Fiti cut her off with a loud laugh. 

‘My child, if you didn’t, you wouldn’t be here’. 

*** 

Maui felt _different_ when he woke up. 

He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but his entire body felt like it wasn’t quite his own, as if he was a stranger in his own skin. Hina sat by his bedside, a cup of water on hand and a cloth to mop at his brow, her smiling face the first thing he saw when he awoke a mortal again. 

Once he felt a little better, and Hina was out of sight, he immediately reached for his fishhook, and to his delight he found it still worked. He could still shift into any animal he chose, but it came with a price. It seemed his mortal body struggled with the transformation, and so a simple shift into a hawk left him with a splitting headache for hours afterwards. 

Hina dragged him back to bed when she found out, chastising him to use his powers sparingly now. He had earned them, she said, but he could no longer rely on them. 

He was eager to set out to Motunui as soon as he was able to stand, but Hina put a hand on his shoulder and forced him back into bed. He complied, grumbling that he was now so easily overpowered, and she just ignored him and continued to feed him small bites of fish. 

‘You’re not strong enough to make the journey yet’ she said sternly, ‘You’re not going to win her over by falling down dead at her feet’. 

By the time he was strong enough to make the trip, almost a week had passed and Maui was getting anxious; what if she was already married by the time he returned to Motunui? What if she didn’t feel the same way about him? What if he’d made a mistake giving up his immortality? 

‘Stop worrying’ Hina said, reading his thoughts as she lounged on the end of his canoe, her silvery hair dancing in the breeze ‘She’s going to be unmarried, you’ll sweep her off her feet and declare your love for her, and then you’ll settle down and produce lots more little demigods until it’s time for you to pop off this mortal plane’. 

‘You sound so sure’ he muttered, tying two lengths of rope together, before he suddenly realised what she’d said, ‘Demigods?’ he asked, and she nodded as if he was being slow. 

‘You might be mortal now, but you’re still a demigod’ she shrugged, ‘and Moana was blessed by Tangaroa, so who knows what kind of powers your children would have’. 

Maui paused for a moment, his heart beating a little faster at the thought of children with a love of wayfinding and a kinship with the sea, ‘I hadn't thought of that’. 

Hina’s expression was guarded, ‘Does it make you regret your decision?’ 

‘No!’ he said immediately, ‘It was just something I hadn’t considered’. 

A gust of wind suddenly filled the sails and Maui gripped hard at the oar, steering them towards Motunui. 

‘Well’ Hina said slowly, ‘You’d best start _considering_ it’.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'A'ohe loa i ka hana a ke aloha.
> 
> Distance is ignored by love.
> 
> 174


	3. 'Eha i ka 'eha lima 'ole a ke aloha

Tui and Sina were beside themselves with worry when Moana finally arrived home. Everything in her had screamed to go straight back to Maui, but she couldn’t stay away from Motunui for so long, no matter what her heart might tell her. 

‘You’ve been gone for so long’ Sina whispered into her daughter's hair as she greeted her, ‘I was starting to fear the worst’. 

‘I’m ok’ Moana said quietly, ‘I had someone I needed to see’. 

Sina gave her a searching look, but decided not to question any further, for which Moana was grateful, because she wouldn’t even know where to begin. 

‘Your father has been running things in your absence, but they had to suspend the sailing lessons as his hip is too painful to sail now’. 

Moana nodded along as Sina updated her about life on the island, and she knew it would only be a matter of time before she mentioned the matter of suitors. 

She ducked out of her parents house just after dark, and went to find Kaleo. She knew what she had to do, and it was only fair that she told him herself. 

He shyly kissed her hello, and Moana’s heart ached for what she was about to do. On paper, Kaleo was the perfect man to marry; he was her friend, he respected her, he was a hard worker. 

But she didn’t love him. 

And after her speech to Maui about wanting to be loved, to marry a man she didn’t love would be the worst kind of hypocrisy, especially since there was now no reason she couldn’t follow her heart. 

They walked together for a while, ending up on a small sheltered beach some way from the village. He asked about her adventure and she described in detail the battle with the cursed mo’o; choosing to leave out the fact she’d been naked at the time. 

He gasped in all the right places, looked genuinely interested the whole time and asked her complimented her bravery until she’d had enough. 

‘Please stop being so nice to me’ she said desperately, ‘I can’t take it’. 

‘You’ve made your decision then?’ he asked with a sad smile. 

She nodded, resisting the temptation to look away from him. ‘I’m not choosing between you and Puka’ she explained. 

‘Why not?’ he asked, tilting his head to one side, ‘You have to choose one of us, we’re the only suitors your parent’s agreed on’. 

Moana smiled, ‘I’m not going to choose a man because he’s who my parents want for a son- I’m going to choose a man I want as a husband’.

Kaleo laughed quietly to himself, ‘And I’m not that man’. 

It wasn’t a question, it was a statement of fact, and Moana felt a stab of guilt for the amount of time he’d spent believing he might genuinely marry her. 

‘I’m so sor-’ she began, but he held up a hand to stop her. 

‘Please don’t apologise’ he said sharply, ‘You don’t owe me an apology. You never promised me anything’. 

She couldn’t help but disagree, the whole island knew he was her preferred candidate for a husband, and he’d acted accordingly. He hadn’t so much as been seen alone with another unmarried woman since he’d been declared her suitor He’d attended family dinners and brought her gifts and made her really, genuinely feel as if he could love her. 

‘We deserve love’ she said quietly, ‘I’m not that person for you, either’. 

‘You could have been’ he shrugged. 

‘I don’t think you really believe that’ 

‘It’s a small island’ he said, ‘If I was going to fall in love with someone here I think I would have done it already’. 

Moana thought for a moment; ‘You’re right’. 

He snorted, ‘Being right doesn’t help’. 

‘It is a small island, but what if we went to visit the island I’ve just returned from?’ she said slowly, ‘We could establish trade with them, there’s a whole world out there we’ve yet to meet’. 

‘You think the other island would like that?’ he frowned, ‘Some of the other islands we’ve landed on have been inhabited by people who weren’t willing to give us so much as a coconut’. 

‘They weren’t like that’ Moana insisted, ‘They were friendly and happy to help-’ she stopped speaking suddenly, her mind buzzing with new ideas. 

‘I don’t like that look in your eye’ Kaleo said suspiciously, ‘What are you planning?’ 

‘You should go to the island’ she said excitedly, ‘You’re a good sailor- you can take a small crew and establish a relationship with the people there’. 

‘I can’t just leave-’ he began, but Moana cut him off. 

‘Yes you can- your sister is married and taking care of your mother, you don’t want to be a fisherman forever and you’ve always wanted to explore’. 

It was the perfect solution- Kaleo would be the perfect envoy to the other island, he was educated, polite and a born leader. 

‘I’ll think about it’ he said eventually, and she squealed gleefully, ‘I’m not promising anything’. 

‘You’ll go’ she said confidently, ‘You’ll realise sleeping on a canoe isn’t as scary as you think’.

‘That’s not what I’m worried abo- How do you know about that?’ he demanded, looking embarrassed, ‘Did Kalua tell you?’ 

Moana just laughed, and turned to leave, ‘Your secret is safe with me, don’t worry’

His eyes narrowed, ‘That’s not an answer’.

She was still laughing when the ground began to shake beneath her feet, making her stumble down the beach. Kaleo reached out towards her, but the ground trembled and he fell forward, as she fell backwards, grasping at thin air. 

As her foot hit the water, she felt a cold, smooth hand reach out and grab her ankle. Moana tried to run to where she could see Kaleo calling for her, but the hand gripped her tight, and she fell into the shallow water, her body jolting with surprise at the sudden chill. As she hit the water she heard a high, familiar laugh, and her stomach twisted.

The hand pulled her deeper into the ocean, and she couldn’t help but scream, filling her lungs with the salty water. She felt another hand grip her upper arm, and begin pulling her in the opposite direction. She thought, absurdly, of the tug of war they would have at the summer harvest in the village.

The hand on her ankle relented, and she found herself suddenly breaking the surface of the water, taking great lungfuls of air as Kaleo tried to tow her back to the shore. 

‘Stop stop stop’ she coughed, wriggling out of his grip, ‘Did you see where she went?’ 

Kaleo practically dropped her he let go so quickly, ‘ _She_?’ he asked incredulously, ‘It was a _she_?’

‘I can’t be sure’ Moana coughed again dread settling on her shoulders, ‘But I think I know _exactly_ who that was’. 

He didn’t ask any more questions, and they swam in silence back to the shore. 

By the time they got back on dry land, Moana was feeling distinctly panicked. She was sure it was Kaihuopala'ai in the water- and without Maui here she wasn’t sure she could beat the Goddess again, she may be immortal, but she certainly didn’t have his power. 

‘We need to get back to the village, now’ she said, wringing her skirt out- ‘You can run faster than me, you need to get back and tell them I sent you. Ready our strongest fighters, get the children inside and tell my father to expect an attack’. 

Kaleo opened his mouth to reply, but Moana held up a hand, ‘Don’t argue, go _now_ ’. 

‘Yes chief’ he said respectfully, before taking off along the beach at a pace Moana knew she’d never be able to match. 

One he was out of sight she dashed towards the water, carefully not touching it just in case Kaihuopala'ai made a sudden reappearance. 

‘Ocean?’ she called, her hands outstretched, imploring, as the ocean raised it’s blobby form ‘If you can find Maui- let him know I need his help’. 

The ocean nodded once, before losing its shape with a loud splash. 

She turned on her heel and ran as fast as her legs could take her back to the village. Kaleo must have been ten minutes ahead of her, as the strongest men and women were already assembling in the village square to collect weapons, while several of the elders were rounding up children and grabbing supplies. 

‘Moana!’ her father called, spotting her through the crowd, ‘What’s going on? Kaleo said you were attacked-’ 

‘Yes’ she cut him off hastily, ‘I don’t have time to tell you everything, but someone might try and attack the village’. 

‘ _Might_?’ her father repeated, his eyebrows raised, ‘Are you sure we should be panicking the whole village on _might_?’ 

‘Better we panic the whole village than be unprepared for her, trust me’ Moana said grimly. 

‘Her?’ Tui repeated, falling into step next to his daughter as they hurried towards the beach. 

‘Kaihuopala'ai’ Moana said shortly, and she could practically hear her father’s jaw drop. 

‘Why in the name of the Gods would Kaihuopala'ai attack _us_?’ he asked, ‘We haven’t done anything to anger her. On the contrary, Healani leaves an offering to her every sunrise’. 

‘She’s not exactly as friendly as we’ve always been led to believe’ she muttered, picking up rope from the dock, ‘Help me get these canoes secure, will you?’ 

Her father still looked baffled, but stepped in to help regardless. They worked in silence until the boats were secured, but Tui caught her arm as she turned to return to the village. 

‘If our people are in danger here we need to leave’ he said seriously, ‘If this threat is as great as you believe, then we should sail for Motui'a’

‘No’ she said firmly, ‘if we get in the water we’re playing right into her hands. She’s weakest on land, we stay where we are’. 

‘Whatever you think is best’ Tui said, although he still looked skeptical. 

They returned to the village, where two of the best strategists were planning how best to divide the troops and best protect the island. 

Moana strode through the crowd, standing to address the assembled fighters with a lump in her throat. 

‘I understand that this has happened suddenly, and many of you will have questions’ she began, ‘And unfortunately, we don’t have the luxury of time to spend on answers’. 

Almost as soon as the words left her mouth, the ground shook again. 

For a brief moment, she shut her eyes, her heart sinking. 

She had so hoped she’d been wrong. 

‘Defense positions, now!’ she shouted, springing from the platform and grabbing a spear from the pile. 

The fighters scattered, and Moana only had a chance to glimpse at Kaleo’s face before he was lost in the crowd of people defending the eastern side of the village. 

The ground was still trembling, and she made a split second decision and sprinted towards the beach. 

‘Moana what are you doing?’ her father yelled, but she ignored him, knowing that if Kaihuopala'ai was planning an attack, she would attack from the sea. 

She was proven right almost instantly. 

Moana came to a screaming halt halfway down the beach, and she could see Kaihuopala'ai rising gracefully from the sea, as if on a string. 

The goddess had chosen a more impressive form this time, she was easily seven feet tall, her skin glossy and tinged blue, her silvery hair floating around her as if she were still underwater. 

‘I warned you’ she began, her voice silky, ‘Moana of Motunui- I warned you not to make an enemy of me’. 

Behind her, Moana heard the indrawn breath of her people, and for a moment, she wished she could face Kaihuopala'ai alone, without putting so many people at risk. 

‘I never intended to make you an enemy’ Moana called, in a sharp, clear voice, ‘I do not consider you an enemy, and it saddens me that you consider me such’. 

‘You invaded my island’ Kaihuopala'ai hissed. 

‘Accidentally’ Moana argued, ‘And trying to kill my people was not the way to resolve the problem’. 

‘Your people were intruders on my island, they took and ate what wasn’t theirs. They were not worthy’.

‘And I offered you a peaceful resolution’ Moana cried, ‘And yet you incite violence- why?’ 

‘Because you are not worthy!’ Kaihuopala'ai screamed again, practically frothing at the mouth, her entire body seeming to swell with her rage. 

Moana resisted the temptation to take a step away from the Goddess, instead, she held her head high, and took a step closer. 

‘Worthy of what, exactly?’ she asked calmly. 

‘Of the gifts of the Gods!’ she spat, ‘You mortals were created by the Gods as playthings- and now they’ve forsaken this earth and left you to spread over the land and sea like a plague; you are pampered and lazy and yet Maui fawns over you!’ 

‘My people work hard- they grow their food and build their huts and live peaceful lives!’ she said crossly, ‘And besides’ she laughed, ‘My people don’t even believe that Maui is real!’ 

‘That doesn’t change the fact that he _is_ ’ Kaihuopala'ai replied, her voice dripping with mirth, and Moana could feel the fighters getting restless behind her, ‘And you yourself have been blessed by the sea- and why?’ 

‘I don’t know why the ocean chose me’ Moana said quietly, holding her hand out behind her back to signal to her people remain where they were, ‘No one does’.

‘Because Tangaroa thinks you’re special, somehow’ The goddess said with contempt, taking slow, deliberate steps towards them, ‘He think that humans are ready to mingle with the gods again’. 

‘And is that such a bad thing?’ Moana asked, gripping her spear a little tighter with every step the goddess took. 

‘Gods are all powerful beings’ Kaihuopala'ai hissed, ‘We should not have to mix our blood with lesser mortals’. 

‘Mix your blood-?’ Moana asked, before her eyes widened in understanding, ‘You think the Gods want us to breed with all Gods and Goddesses. You think they want more demigods’. 

‘Not just any demigods’ Kaihuopala'ai said, her eyes glinting dangerously, ‘They want more humans with powers like yours’. 

‘I do not have powers’ Moana protested, her fingernails cutting into her palm. 

Kaihuopala'ai snorted with derision, ‘And yet you survived a fight against Te Kā and against me? You survived the mo’o I sent?’ 

It took a moment for the words to fully permeate Moana’s brain, but when they did white hot fury rolled through her entire body, and before she’d even fully registered what she was doing, she was brandishing the spear at Kaihuopala'ai. 

‘You- you sent the mo’o?’ she asked, her body vibrating with fury. 

‘You think a mo’o like that just appears?’ Kaihuopala'ai said disbelievingly, ‘You see? This is why you aren’t worthy-’ 

She didn’t get a chance to finish her sentence before Moana had swung the spear towards her throat. 

Kaihuopala'ai dove out of the way with a hiss, but too slowly, and the spear gouged a deep wound into her shimmering shoulder, which healed almost instantly. 

‘Hundreds of men died because of that mo’o!’ Moana yelled, swinging it again, ‘Children left without fathers, women without husbands!’. 

‘Mortals’ Kaihuopala'ai hissed dismissively, ducking the spear with more accuracy this time, ‘You’re expendable, all of you’. 

Moana didn’t have time to respond before a powerful blast knocked her from her feet, and she tumbled head over heels across the sand, landing painfully at the feet of her people. 

As she scrambled to her feet, she caught her father’s eye, and in that moment she could tell they were in complete agreement; Kaihuopala'ai needed to be stopped, no matter the cost. 

She swung around to face the Goddess, who was still rooted to the exact same spot as she had been, a knowing smile on her face. 

‘We will not be beaten by the likes of you!’ Moana cried.

Behind her, the fighters all yelled their approval, and the air was filled with the sounds of spears rattling against shields. 

Kaihuopala'ai didn’t move, and Moana signalled for the soldiers to advance. 

They made it about three feet before it all went to hell. 

The shallows of the water seemed to explode, and it took a moment for Moana’s eyes to adjust to what she was seeing- great mutated _things_ springing from the water, not quite human but not quite fish either. They had limbs in all the wrong places and their bodies were entirely scales- they hit the dry land running, their monstrous arms outstretched poised to attack. They had no weapons, just their hands and a few clutched sharp rocks they’d picked from the ocean floor. 

Moana shook herself from her shock first, and screamed ‘Attack formation, now!’ springing into action. 

It was chaos. 

The creatures were resilient, organised and ruthless. Moana was horrified to see they bled like humans- red and warm, until the sand beneath their feet was soaked with the blood of human and creature alike. 

She’d completely lost sight of Kaihuopala'ai, and panic was seizing her, there were two many of them, they were too well organised, and her people were not built to fight. She stumbled, falling to the ground, a creature advancing from behind. 

A searing pain in her left leg brought her back to the present, in time to see Lani, an old friend of her mother's, severing the offending creature in half with a particularly fierce swipe of a knife. 

The older woman grimaced and held her hand out to Moana, who took it gratefully. 

‘There are too many of them Moana’ she said, wiping a dribble of blood off her forehead with the back of her hand, ‘We can’t win’. 

‘I need to stop Kaihuopala'ai’ Moana said firmly, throwing a punch towards the jaw of the nearest creature, ‘She controls them, if we stop her, we stop them all’. 

Lani paused for a moment, before nodding, ‘What did you have in mind?’. 

***

The ocean had never been particularly chatty with Maui, and had never made itself known when he was alone, which is why he was so surprised when it suddenly poked it’s head over the edge of his canoe when he was finally within sights of Motunui. 

‘What is it?’ he asked the blob suspiciously, ‘She said I could visit-that’s all this is!’ 

The blob seemed to be gesturing wildly, bobbing back and forth in a manic manner that left Maui baffled. 

‘What?’ he repeated, as the bob repeated all its previous actions, ‘Is Hei-Hei stuck down a well?’ 

The blob collapsed in obvious frustration, and suddenly Maui found himself clinging desperately to the side of the canoe as it was propelled through the water, Motunui getting much larger as he was steered closer and closer. 

‘What the hell?’ he yelled angrily, but to no avail, the boat continued to speed through the water until they breached the reef surrounding the island. He wished Hina was still with him, she would undoubtedly be able to talk some sense into the sea, but she’d left several days ago pleading urgent ‘Goddess Business’. 

He slammed heavily against the bottom of the boat as it soared through the air, and he took a moment to moan that it would probably leave a bruise now he was mortal. 

The canoe spun precariously until it bumped to a halt next to the shore, and the blob appeared over the side of the canoe again. 

‘Why the hell did you do that?’ Maui asked indignantly, wincing as he sat up. 

The blob squirted him with a jet of water, and Maui spluttered, springing to his feet at once. 

As he stood he noticed all the things that were wrong with the island, that he hadn’t been able to see further away; the boats were tied down as if there was a storm coming, there wasn’t a single person in sight, and the sky was tinged a nasty red. 

Barely casting a glance back towards the ocean, Maui took off towards the village, fish hook in hand. The village was in lockdown- he’d recognise the signs anywhere. No fires going houses stood empty and there were several spears littering the ground which had clearly been discarded for one reason or another. 

His stomach dropped as the sounds of fighting reached his ears, and his single, focused thought, was that Moana had to be alive, she had to be, because he couldn’t bear to be on the earth without her. 

Ironic, he thought, that the possibility of losing her was what made him realise he’d done the right thing in giving up his immortality. 

He ground to a halt when he reached the beach, horrified at the sight before him. 

Islanders he recognised were batting against creatures Maui had only seen the likes of in Lalotai, half fish half human monstrosities that only had one origin; Kaihuopala'ai. 

The sound of a very familiar voice filled Maui with sudden relief, and before he knew it he was taking off towards that voice, ignoring the sounds of stunned villagers as he knocked creatures out of his way as he went. 

‘Maui!’ Moana cried, catching sight of him. 

She was injured, her hair matted with blood even as fresh wounds continued to bleed on her legs and arms, and Maui swore in that moment that he would tear Kaihuopala'ai from limb to limb for this. 

He used his hook to clear a path to her, his eyes fixed on every single wound on her body, barely glancing at each creature he batted out of the way. 

‘Maui you need to stop Kaihuopala'ai!’ she cried, ‘I don’t know how to beat her!’.

He stopped, horrified. 

He couldn’t stop her either, not any more. 

One of the creatures swung for him, and Maui didn’t move quick enough, his vision impaired in the fading light. The creature gouged a deep cut into his upper arm, which immediately began to ooze blood. 

He was _bleeding_. 

Properly, actually bleeding. 

‘Maui!’ Moana called again, and she seemed to sense something was wrong, spinning to dispatch creatures so she could reach him. 

With a vicious swipe she dispatched the creature who’d drawn his blood, and she gaped at him, her own blood stained hands coming to a rest just below his wound. Time seemed to stop around them as her skin touched his. 

‘How?’ she asked quietly, her brown eyes searching his face, ‘How can this be?’ 

He didn’t know how to answer her, instead covering her hand with his own, ‘I can’t beat Kaihuopala'ai’ he said sadly, ‘But you did it once, you can do it again’. 

She frowned up at him, and there was a flicker of fear in her eyes. He took a moment to wonder what they must look like to all the people around them, their chief and a man they all believed to be a myth, standing so close in the misty darkness of near-night. 

‘Princess-’ he started, and he didn’t know how he was going to finish the sentence; wish her luck, tell her he loved her? But he didn’t get a chance. 

The ground shook underneath their feet, and they fell in opposite directions, Moana’s widening eyes disappearing into the impending night gloom. 

‘Enough!’ came Kaihuopala'ai’s scream, and at once, the creatures ceased their attack, dropping to the sand, motionless as the ground stopped shaking. Moana edged closer to him again, picking her spear up from where it had fallen in the sand. 

The torches that lined the beach suddenly flamed to life, illuminating the entire scene in front of them. Creatures lay in the sand, and Maui was relieved to see that all the islanders appeared to be on their feet at least, if looking a lot worse for wear. 

‘Maui’ came the cold voice again, ‘I see you’ve decided to run to your mortal’s rescue, as predicted’. 

Moana practically growled, and he reached out to grip her arm, just in case she got any ideas. 

The islanders were backing away from Kaihuopala'ai, until Maui and Moana stood between them and her, a barrier in every sense of the word, and Maui silently swore to each and every one of them that Kaihuopala'ai would have to step over his cold, dead, body to reach them. 

‘I came to stop the slaughter of hundreds of innocent humans just because you’re in a bad mood’ he said flippantly. 

‘What is it about your mortal pet that you find so alluring?’ Kaihuopala'ai continued, as if he hadn’t spoken, ‘What is it that she has that’s so special?’ 

‘I told you not to call me a pet’ Moana said, seething, and Maui couldn’t help but feel a little proud to see there wasn’t a single trace of fear in her any more. 

‘She’s so _breakable_ ’ Kaihuopala'ai continued, her voice sultry, ‘She’s nothing compared to someone like me’. 

Beside him, Moana choked, ‘Are you telling me you’ve done all of this because you’re _jealous_?’ 

Kaihuopala'ai finally decided to acknowledge Moana was there and turned to her, sneering, ‘Of course not’ she sniffed, ‘But I can’t help but be curious as to why he’s so drawn to you’. 

‘You’re insane’ Moana said faintly, and Maui silently agreed. 

‘I’ll kill every last mortal on this island if you speak to me like that again’ Kaihuopala'ai hissed, stepping closer to them. Her eyes suddenly clamped on Maui’s bleeding arm and her mouth curled into a cruel smile. ‘And I see that would even include our dear Maui now’.

Behind them, several villagers gasped, and Moana reached out to grip at his wrist. 

‘No’ she said firmly, before looking up at him, ‘Tell me it’s not true’. 

Kaihuopala'ai was looking practically gleeful now, looking between them as if watching her favourite sport. 

‘I -’ Maui started, too afraid to meet Moana’s eye, ‘I asked Hina to take away my immortality’. 

The warmth of Moana’s hand immediately left his wrist, and with it went all the hope in his heart that she might love him back. 

‘Why?’ she asked incredulously, ‘You _love_ being a demigod’ 

There was a long, pregnant pause and Maui decided that this was just about the worst _possible_ time for confessions of love, but the Gods clearly didn’t care about something as inconsequential as their lives or they wouldn’t be in this situation in the first place, so he geared up all his courage, looked her in the eye and said, 

‘I love you more’. 

The villagers gasped, Kaihuopala'ai made a noise like an angry cat, but Maui only had eyes for Moana. 

She stared at him for a long time, before turning away and facing Kaihuopala'ai again, without so much as another word to Maui. 

His stomach sank, but he didn’t know what else he’d expected; a battlefield wasn’t exactly the best place for declarations of love. 

‘You will leave here’ Moana said to Kaihuopala'ai, and there was only the slightest hint of a waver in her voice. 

‘Maui becoming mortal changes nothing’ the Goddess laughed, ‘In fact, Maui dying for you will be the perfect example of why mortals shouldn’t be granted blessings from the Gods’.

‘Maui might be mortal’ Moana said, jutting her chin out proudly, ‘But I’m not’. 

Maui could have _sworn_ his heart stopped beating in that moment.

‘But you _bleed_ ’ Kaihuopala'ai hissed, ‘What kind of trickery is this?’ 

‘Te Fiti’s gift to me’ Moana said, glancing towards Maui, ‘To be immortal, but still able to have children, and continue my legacy’. 

The stab wound hurt less. 

Kaihuopala'ai had worked it out before any of the villagers did, and she started to laugh, a cold, high, genuine laugh that made Maui’s skin crawl. 

‘You’re immortal’ she said, pointing at Moana, ‘But you became _mortal_ for her’ she said, turning to Maui. 

Neither of them replied, and instead, Moana did something entirely unexpected, and dove straight at Kaihuopala'ai, tackling her to the ground. 

Maui stared blankly at the grappling women for a moment, before turning to the fighters, who were clearly unsure whether or not to help- ‘Get the wounded back to the village’ he commanded, and wide eyed, they all hastened to obey. 

Behind him he could hear the sounds of fighting, of knuckles hitting flesh and grunts of pain. Kaihuopala'ai seemed to have either forgotten about her fish creatures, or didn’t have the energy to command them any longer, as she fought just as dirty as Moana. 

‘You’re both immortal’ he pointed out, as Moana landed a particularly well aimed punch on Kaihuopala'ai’s jaw, ‘This fight will literally never end’. 

‘Then I’ll fight her forever’ Moana hissed, ‘She’s a murderer’.

‘And you’re a mortal with a trumped up sense of self importance’ Kaihuopala'ai replied, diving for a spear, which Maui quickly kicked out of reach. 

Maui was trying to decide his next move when there was an almighty crash from several feet to their left, accompanied by a fork of lightning. 

‘What is the meaning of this?’ Hina demanded, striding up the beach, her long   
elegant legs making the journey quickly. 

Maui held his hands up to protest his innocence, and Hina strode right past him. 

‘Kaihuopala'ai!’ She demanded, ‘Explain yourself at once’. 

Hina’s tone garnered no argument, her aura crackling with contained rage and Maui couldn’t help but take a small step back. 

Moana rolled away from the brawl, dabbing delicately at her bleeding lip, as Kaihuopala'ai slowly rolled her shoulders and stood to face Hina. 

‘These mortals are asking for trouble’ Kaihuopala'ai said, gesturing towards the village, and the few brave villagers who were still lurking close enough to hear what was happening. 

‘So you decided to take matters into your own hands?’ Hina asked, looking disgusted, ‘By murdering them?’ 

Kaihuopala'ai looked at her incredulously, ‘You can’t seriously be defending them?’ she spat, ‘They are vermin!’

Maui seized Moana’s arm to stop her from swinging a fist back into Kaihuopala'ai’s face, and the remaining villagers scattered, clearly sensing things were not going well. 

‘We have protected mortals since the dawn of time!’ Hina exclaimed, ‘Since the great Gods of creation walked this earth and you have never treated mortals as such before’. 

Kaihuopala'ai huffed and her eyes darted over to Moana, ‘Well, I’ve changed my mind’. 

‘All because one mortal was granted gifts of the sea?’ Hina asked softly, ‘Are you really so jealous?’ 

‘That power should be mine!’ Kaihuopala'ai practically screamed ‘Tangaroa blessed this mortal and sent her to restore Te Fiti- why? Any one of us would have done it, had he asked!’ 

‘Te Fiti was missing her heart for a thousand years’ Hina cried, ‘And not one of you went to save her- Tangaroa was forced to step in and chose a mortal’. 

‘They let us believe Maui was a villain’ Kaihuopala'ai continued, ‘That he’d stolen the heart for himself! They’ve been manipulating us for a millenia!’ 

Moana was looking more and more distressed the longer Kaihuopala'ai spoke, and Hina glanced between Maui and Moana, her frown deepening. 

‘Who are we to question the will of the Gods?’ Hina said finally, ‘I believe Moana was chosen for a reason, and you may not like it, but you cannot murder mortals out of sheer spite’. 

Hina’s voice was cold, angry, and Maui was infinitely glad that he’d never been on the receiving end of the stare she was levelling on Kaihuopala'ai. 

‘You are a fool’ Kaihuopala'ai said shortly, ‘And I will no longer be a pawn of Gods who haven’t walked this earth in a millennia’. 

‘You think they haven’t been with us?’ Hina said softly, ‘they might not look like you or I, but they are with us just the same’. 

Maui made a soft noise of agreement, and Moana looked up at him in surprise. 

‘You’ve met them?’ she asked, her voice hushed. 

Maui shrugged, ‘They appear as kinolau; sometimes a bird lands on my shoulder, a flower blooms as I walk past, or a breeze blows across my face on a still day, and I know they are there’. 

‘Pretty sentiment perhaps’ Kaihuopala'ai drawled, ‘But that’s all it is- sentiment. They left this earth a millennia ago and they haven’t looked back’. 

Hina tossed her dark hair over one shoulder, before turning away from them. ‘Kū!’ she called, her soft voice carrying further than it could have naturally. 

For several long moments nothing happened, and Kaihuopala'ai made a victorious noise; but she was cut off by a loud screech. 

Maui watched dumbfounded as a great hawk swooped down to the surface of the ocean, trailing one talon along the surface of the water, and he cast a sidelong glance at Hina, who was wearing a smug smile. 

‘My husband may not walk among us every day’ she said serenely, watching the ‘io fly away, ‘But he is always watching’. 

Kaihuopala'ai was watching the ocean, opened mouthed, and Maui could almost see her scrambling for another explanation for the appearance of the kinolau. A beat of silence passed, before she realised her fight was lost, and she sprinted towards the ocean, her hands flexing as she prepared to transform. 

‘No!’ Moana cried, her own hands reaching out as if she could stop Kaihuopala'ai before she reached the water. 

Hina snapped her fingers, and Kaihuopala'ai tripped, landing just inches short of the crashing waves. Behind him, Moana laughed out loud and Maui couldn’t help but smile. 

‘You will not be returning to the ocean’ Hina said sweetly, as Kaihuopala'ai spat out mouthfuls of sand, ‘You have called into question the motives of the Gods, you have spilled innocent blood and caused suffering to the people who live on this earth’. 

Hina’s eyes flashed dangerously, and with a small wave of her hand, Kaihuopala'ai vanished before their eyes, along with all her monstrous creatures. 

‘Where did you send her?’ Maui asked at last, while Moana stared at the spot she’d vanished from. 

‘Lalotai’ Hina said shortly, brushing sand from her dress, ‘It’s the only place a monster like her belongs’. 

‘Good’ Moana said, regaining her voice as she turned to inspect the now empty beach. The blood remained, although the creatures were gone, and in the darkness of the night the abandoned scene looked eerie. 

‘I must make sure she is secure in Lalotai’ Hina said, ‘Once I’m sure she can’t escape, I’ll return to sort, _this_ ’ she finished, with a general wave of her hands between Moana and Maui.

With another snap of her fingers, the goddess vanished, leaving the two of them alone for the first time in weeks. 

For a while, there was just the sound of their breathing, the crash of the waves against the shore, and Maui’s heartbeat, which was so loud he’d be surprised if Hina couldn’t still hear it in Lalotai. 

‘Mo-’ he started, but before he could say any more she cut him off.

‘Did you mean it?’ she asked, and her face was stoic, as if she was expecting him to say no. 

‘Every word’ he said solemnly, reaching out to take her hand, ‘But I don’t need you to love me back-’ 

‘But I _do_ ’ Moana said sadly, looking up at him with tears in her eyes, ‘But now I’m the one who will outlive _you_ ’. 

Maui barely even heard the last part, he was so focused on the ‘I do’; it repeated in his head like a prayer, like a mantra, until there was nothing left to do except kiss her. 

So that’s exactly what he did 

One hand cradled the back of her head, while the other arm snaked around her waist to mould them together, and for a moment he lingered, their lips not quite touching, their eyes half closed their breath mingling. 

Moana closed the distance between them and her lips pressed softly against his, his breath leaving him in a rush. 

He’d imagined kissing her _thousands_ of times before, in moments of weakness when she’d been laughing at him, when he’d spent countless nights alone after she returned to Motunui, when she’d been slipping naked into the pool before they’d fought the mo’o; but he’d never imagined it like this. 

He’d always fantasized that their first kiss would be an explosive result of a build up of passion; for two people who argued as much as they did he couldn’t imagine any other way for them to finally give in to one another. He thought it would be hot and heavy and breathless, he thought he’d pick her up and she’d cling to him as they finally gave in to what they’d both been desperate for. 

But this, _this_ was unexpected. The kiss was soft, chaste and achingly sweet. Maui wondered fleetingly if she’d ever been kissed before, but pushed that thought away as he moved his lips more forcefully over hers. Her hands came up to rest against his chest and he knew she’d be able to feel his racing heart under her palms. 

She broke the kiss and rested her forehead against his, staying on her tiptoes to do so, ‘Tell me it can be reversed’ she whispered helplessly, ‘Tell me you can stay with me’. 

‘Whatever it takes’ he said breathlessly, his thumb grazing her cheek, ‘We’ll find a way’. 

***

Moana didn’t want to leave his arms. She didn’t want to deal with the consequences of the attack, she didn’t want to look her people in the eye and tell them everything was going to be okay when she felt like nothing would ever be ok again. 

‘We have to go back to the village’ Maui said eventually, brushing kisses against her nose and cheeks, ‘We need to make sure everyone is ok’. 

She wondered if it was possible to love him more than she did already.

She sighed and pulled away, her hands trailing down his arms until her fingers were entwined with his; ‘Say it again?’ she asked him, a shy smile playing on her lips. 

He cocked an eyebrow in a self assured manner that Moana knew she shouldn’t find so endearing, ‘Say what?’ he teased, ‘You’re welcome?’.

She laughed, ‘I think I was the one who saved you, this time’, she thought for a second, ‘And last time. And the time before that’. 

‘I think I was doing alright against that mo’o’ he said indignantly, before smiling down at her, ‘I love you’. 

She positively beamed, her entire body lighting up with the sheer joy she felt settling deep in her heart. 

‘I love you too’ she told him, pulling him along the sand towards the village. 

He resisted for a moment, his own smile fading. 

‘Up until an hour ago your people thought I was a myth’, he said, ‘And now I’m real, mortal and in love with their chief’. 

‘We have an awful lot of explaining to do’ she conceded, ‘But we’ll be ok- right?’ 

Maui took a deep breath, ‘Right’, he agreed. 

They walked into the village hand in hand, tense and worried as to what they might find there. 

As they set foot in the village, a familiar voice cried out, ‘Moana and Maui have returned!’, and at once they were surrounded by people, having their wounds bandaged, their weapons taken away and food and water thrust upon them. They couldn’t quite bring themselves to let go of each other's hands though, and the villagers assisting them didn’t comment on it, just worked around them. 

She caught her father’s eye through the crowd, and he inclined his head to her, a silent agreement that the explanations could wait a moment. She smiled at him weakly, turning to offer Maui some water. 

She saw her mother too, nursing the wounded fighters and checking that none of their injuries were life threatening. She waved, and Sina just raised her eyebrows looking pointedly between Moana and Maui, a small smile playing around her lips. 

Once they were fed, watered and bandaged, Moana led Maui to the centre of the village, where people were sat with their loved ones, waiting patiently to be addressed by their chief. 

Maui let go of her hand at last, letting her take to the raised platform alone, her shoulders squaring. 

‘Thank you, all of you, for your bravery today’ she began, her voice strong, looking at each and every soldier in her eye line, ‘I know that Kaihuopala'ai was like any other threat we’ve ever faced, and we had no warning that she was coming’. 

The sun was beginning to rise, casting the whole island in golden light, and Moana had a stab of realisation that she would see sunrises on this island for hundreds of years to come. 

She would outlive Kalua’s baby. She would watch everyone she loved grow, and live, and die. 

A lump was forming in her throat, and she took a steadying breath, looking over at Maui, who was giving her an encouraging smile. 

‘I know that many of you never believed my story’ Moana continued, ‘That I’d met Maui and restored the heart of Te Fiti, but I can promise you I have never lied’. 

Several people laughed, with pointed looks towards Maui. 

‘Why haven’t you revealed yourself until now?’ Lani asked, directing her question to Maui, who shifted his weight, looking uncomfortable. 

Moana gestured for him to join her on the platform, and he hesitated for just a moment before striding onto the worn surface like he’d been doing it his whole life. 

‘The people of this island have always believed I stole the heart of Te Fiti for myself’ he began,’ and Moana reached out to take his hand again, ‘I wanted to prove myself by living and working on your island before I revealed myself to your people again’. 

‘You’ve been here this whole time?’ Tui asked, looking flabbergasted, ‘Where have you been _sleeping_?’ 

Moana really, really hoped the light was still too dim for people to see her blush. 

‘I haven’t been here the whole time’ Maui hastened to answer, ‘And until recently I could shapeshift, so I often slept in a tree as a bird’. 

Tui didn’t look convinced, looking suspiciously between his daughter and the demigod.

‘Where is Kaihuopala'ai now?’ one of the older fighters asked, bandages covering a good portion of his face. 

‘In Lalotai’ Moana said, ‘Hina took her there and is making sure she can’t escape’. 

‘Lalotai?’ a small boy near the front repeated, ‘It’s _real_?’ 

Several of the elders in the crowd laughed, and the boy went scarlet. 

‘Yes it’s real’ Moana said, ‘I’ve been there’ 

This was the wrong thing to say, as every child in the village suddenly had eyes like saucers, and began to pepper Moana with questions; 

‘How did you get there-?’ 

‘What sort of monsters-?’ 

‘Were you scared?’ 

‘Can you take us?’ 

Moana laughed, feeling all at once exhausted; had it really been less than 12 hours since she’d been teasing Kaleo about sleeping on a canoe?

‘That’s enough for now’ Moana said gently, holding up her hand and the children fell silent. 

She looked out over the village, her heart somehow both lighter and heavier than it had been in a very long time.

‘Rest’ she told her people, ‘Recover, and know that you are safe on this island, for as long as I am alive’ she inclined her head sheepishly, ‘Which, as you may have heard, will be a very long time’. 

The village erupted into celebration, and Moana turned to face Maui, her cheeks hurting from smiling so hard. 

‘I love you’ she said sincerely, and instead of replying, he pulled her into another kiss, and she could feel him smiling against her lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Eha i ka 'eha lima 'ole a ke aloha.
> 
> He is smitten by love, with a pain administered without hands.
> 
> He is deeply in love.
> 
> 272

**Author's Note:**

> 'Au i ke kai loa.
> 
> Swims the distant seas.
> 
> Said of one who travels afar.
> 
> 236


End file.
